A walk through the woodland of the Montceaux-les-Meaux State Forest

de fr

The route follows paths only, suitable for all walking styles and ideal for Nordic walking. Over 80 per cent of the route is through woodland. The route can be adapted as desired.

Details

n°21872175
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.64 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 302 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 331 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 384 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 167 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

The route starts at the Aire de la Marche car park on the D17 between Trilport and Germigny-l’Evêque. Large, shaded car park.

(S/E) In the circular part of the car park, take the grassy path to the left of the picnic tables and head north-west.

(1) Cross the fitness trail and carry straight on. Cross the D17 carefully and continue straight ahead.

(2) At the junction, turn left and, at the next junction, go straight on.

(3) At the next junction, turn right. Stay on this path, which initially goes straight ahead before winding through the woodland alongside cultivated fields. You’ll reach a star-shaped crossroads on the outskirts of Germiny-l’Évêque.

(4) Take thefirst path on the right (sign indicating that littering is prohibited). Carry on straight ahead, ignoring all turnings on the right, and follow the fenced fields on your left. Turn right as the path bends.

(5) Pass through a forest gate, cross the D17 again and continue straight on. Pass under the railway viaduct (you can return to the car park by turning right onto the path behind the gate before the viaduct).

(6) About 250 m after the viaduct, cross the railway tracks at the level crossing (take great care, as trains run regularly). Continue straight on along theGR®11(red and white markings). Climb a hill and pass above the railway tracks on your right.

(7) At the top of the hill, turn right onto theGR®. Head downhill, staying on the signposted path which winds its way south-west. At a junction, continue straight on along theGR® (ignore the access to Trilport station on the right). You will then reach a crossroads with six paths.

(8) Turn at a right angle (90°) onto thefirst path on the left (south-east). Continue straight on for about 700 m. Pass a rutted track filled with crushed tiles; about fifty metres further on, take the path on the right (be careful to spot this inconspicuous turn-off).

(9) At the end, turn left onto a wider track. After about 200 m, turn right onto a track and follow it straight on until you reach a car park near the D603. Then follow a wide lane to the right to reach the Carrefour du Chêne au Roi, which you have already passed through.

(8) Take thefirst path on the left (bench). Continue straight on for about 1.2 km. At the T-junction, turn right.

(10) After about 300 m, turn right again. Carry on straight ahead. Cross a wider lane (Route de Germigny) and walk up a gentle slope for about a hundred metres.

(11) Then turn left onto a path and wind your way through the woodland. You’ll come out onto a wide path; follow it to the right. Cross the railway tracks via two successive bridges and head slightly uphill to the right after 100 m.

(12) Take the path that goes straight down behind a bench (botanical trail). Keep going parallel to, and below, the railway line on your right. Just past a tree (on the left) with exposed roots, turn left.

(13) At the next junction, turn left and head uphill. At the top of the hill, veer to the right.

(14) Immediately afterwards, turn right onto the fitness trail. Follow the winding path heading west.

(1) You’ll come out onto a wide track; follow it to the left until you reach the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 272 ft - Car park - Carrefour de la Marche
  2. 1 : mi 0.08 - alt. 266 ft - Main path x Fitness trail
  3. 2 : mi 0.49 - alt. 226 ft - Crossroads
  4. 3 : mi 0.7 - alt. 249 ft - Crossroads
  5. 4 : mi 1.17 - alt. 180 ft - Star-shaped crossroads
  6. 5 : mi 2.15 - alt. 197 ft - Cross the D17
  7. 6 : mi 2.69 - alt. 200 ft - Level crossing
  8. 7 : mi 3.35 - alt. 344 ft - Junction
  9. 8 : mi 4.15 - alt. 322 ft - Carrefour du Chêne au Roi
  10. 9 : mi 4.82 - alt. 328 ft - T-junction
  11. 10 : mi 6.78 - alt. 279 ft - Junction
  12. 11 : mi 7.43 - alt. 256 ft - Start of the trail
  13. 12 : mi 7.79 - alt. 249 ft - Botanical trail – Bench
  14. 13 : mi 8.16 - alt. 194 ft - Crossroads
  15. 14 : mi 8.39 - alt. 269 ft - Fitness trail
  16. S/E : mi 8.64 - alt. 272 ft - Car park - Carrefour de la Marche

Notes

In winter or after heavy rain, some areas may be very muddy.

Worth a visit

There are several picnic tables along the route.
Nearby is the village of Germigny-l’Evêque and its 18th-century castle.
The Royal Castle of Montceaux-les-Meaux.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.3 / 5
labo77
labo77

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I’m not sure if certain people had decided to keep us off this route, but between points 4 and 5, we came across a lot of branches blocking the path. Towards the end of that same section, between the corner of the field and point 5, we found several active beehives in our path. Not wanting to disturb these colonies, which are already suffering so much, we turned back and cleared a path through the brambles and stinging nettles. In short, it was an outing full of surprises, but thanks to the app, we made it safely to our destination! It was hot, but the forest sheltered us from the scorching sun. All in all, it’ll be a fond memory!

Machine-translated

Joelthi
Joelthi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Machine-translated

Jeatan
Jeatan

Hello
Thank you for your feedback. Obviously, it depends on what you’re looking for. For me, it’s a local route consisting entirely of footpaths, ideal for competitive Nordic walking. It’s true that during the week is the best time to go.

Machine-translated

Allain Chantal
Allain Chantal

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This route is very well signposted, and the distance is accurate. It’s very pleasant because we’re in the woods the whole way – which means we’re in the shade when the sun is beating down. We only came across two joggers. I’d recommend this route.

Machine-translated

denysferrier
denysferrier

Many thanks for your response and your understanding. My wife tells me that my comment was harsh and inappropriate. She enjoyed walking at a brisk pace (2 hours 10 minutes) precisely because the terrain was relatively easy, with no significant elevation changes (and she had the pleasure of spotting a roe deer grazing…). For my part, I prefer more rugged routes off the beaten track (which is often the case further north, on the border with the Aisne, where you can walk for hours without seeing a soul, apart from a few animals, whether livestock or wildlife). Each to their own…
P.S. There’s something even more boring: the Choqueuse Forest…

Machine-translated

Jeatan
Jeatan

Hello
Thank you for your comments, which I understand given your experience and the purpose of your walks. This route is more suited to Nordic walking (as mentioned in the description), so the main focus is on exercise. We are specifically looking for forest paths. It’s true that this route isn’t particularly challenging, apart from the distance for beginners. Your opinion is particularly important so that people can make an informed choice. As for the number of people using the route, that’s a problem typical of weekends and forests near towns.

Machine-translated

denysferrier
denysferrier

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

It isn’t really a hiking route, as it’s all on flat ground and along very comfortable forest tracks. My wife and I set off at 7.30 am and there were already hikers ahead of us. We’ve never seen so many people (unfortunately including motorcyclists – who cares about the bans?) in two and a half hours (and in over ten years we’ve done dozens of walks, no doubt more than a hundred). That’s the big drawback of state-owned forests: no views, no scenery to photograph, rather unnatural, run-of-the-mill vegetation and lots of people. Lovers of ‘real nature’ should give this a miss…

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking The Marne Valley between the Ourcq Canal and Monceaux forest

Visorando Member
La Vallée de la Marne entre le Canal de l'Ourcq et la Forêt de Monceaux
↔12.43 mi ↗+305 ft ↘-289 ft ◔6h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Trilport (Seine-et-Marne)
Hiking along a bend of the river Marne. The circuit follows along streams in its first part, then crosses part of the Montceaux forest. There are beautiful panoramic vistas at every break in the tree cover.

Walking The lands of Chilperic from Trilport

Association / Club / Walk leader
Les terres de Chilperic au départ de Trilport
↔9.37 mi ↗+102 ft ↘-75 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Trilport (Seine-et-Marne)
A varied and easy hike that will take you along the Marne to Poincy, through the former estates of Chilperic, a high-ranking Merovingian dignitary. It continues through Germigny l'Évêque and its château, which was much loved by Bossuet. It ends with a route to Trilport through the woods of Montceaux-les-Meaux, the hunting grounds of Gabrielle d'Estrée.

Walking From Trilport to Lizy-sur-Ourcq via the Chemin de Saint-Jean

Visorando Member
De Trilport à Lizy-sur-Ourcq par le Chemin de Saint-Jean
↔10.28 mi ↗+299 ft ↘-312 ft ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Trilport (Seine-et-Marne)
A hike from station to station through forests and along waterways. The first part takes us through the Montceaux National Forest. We then follow the Marne River before climbing up to a cultivated plateau. The last part runs along the Ourcq Canal and takes us to the confluence of the Marne and Ourcq rivers.

Walking Around Trilport

Visorando Member
Autour de Trilport
↔11.54 mi ↗+377 ft ↘-351 ft ◔5h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Trilport (Seine-et-Marne)
A varied hike between the Montceaux forest and the Dhuys aqueduct. Beautiful views of the Meaux countryside. Beautiful trees along the way (centuries-old oaks in the Montceaux forest and a beautiful black alder on the way up to Montceaux-les-Meaux). Best avoided in wet weather, as the Dhuys aqueduct can become quite muddy...

Walking The Etangs du Grand Voyeux and the Trois Rivières

Visorando Member
Les Etangs du Grand Voyeux et les Trois Rivières
↔9.03 mi ↗+108 ft ↘-115 ft ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Congis-sur-Thérouanne (Seine-et-Marne)
At the confluence of the Marne, Ourcq and Thérouanne rivers, the ponds and reed beds of the Grand Voyeux regional estate are home to a huge number of birds. The walk begins on the observation path of this protected natural site. It then hops along the River Thérouanne, along the Canal de L'Ourcq and the Canal de la Thérouanne, and ends along the Marne. Water and birds are the main attractions on this route!

Walking From Isle-les-Meldeuses to Meaux

Visorando Member
↔12.15 mi ↗+299 ft ↘-341 ft ◔5h 50 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Isles-les-Meldeuses (Seine-et-Marne)
Between Isle-les-Meldeuses and Meaux, along the Marne and the Canal de l'Ourcq, discover a corner of Île-de-France that is rich in nature, heritage and symbols. Shady paths, soothing rivers, nature reserve.

Walking From Isles-lès-Meldeuses to La Ferté-sous-Jouarre via the Dhuys Aqueduct

Visorando Member
D'Isles-lès-Meldeuses à La Ferté-sous-Jouarre par l'Aqueduc de la Dhuys
↔17.33 mi ↗+794 ft ↘-791 ft ◔8h 40 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Isles-les-Meldeuses (Seine-et-Marne)
Seventeenth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between the Isles-Armentières-Congis and La Ferté-sous-Jouarre stations in Seine-et-Marne. This stage consists of a climb up the Marne valley, following its southern plateau (foothills of Brie). In addition, for more than half of the route, the GR® follows the route of the Dhuys Aqueduct, ensuring a well-levelled and therefore relatively easy path.

Walking The Montceaux Forest and the Ourcq Canal

Visorando Member
La Forêt de Montceaux et le Canal de l'Ourcq
↔12.89 mi ↗+404 ft ↘-404 ft ◔6h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Isles-les-Meldeuses (Seine-et-Marne)
Varied landscapes, through forests and fields, with a pleasant walk along the Canal de l'Ourcq.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.