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‘’Start''
The hike begins at the car park at the entrance of the Castle, Rue René Girardin in Ermenonville (Oise).
(S/F) Leaving the car park, turn left into Rue René Girardin and walk to the crossroads where you take the road on the left which will take you to the traffic lights on the N330 at a pedestrian crossing.
(1) Cross the road and go through the car park along the archery range to take the fenced forest road. Continue on this winding road and soon after an open area that serves as a fire break. Cross through three junctions keeping straight ahead before reaching the one located at the corner of plot 217.
(2) Turn left to go to Pavilion du Prince, 500 m away. Then veer left to follow the wire fence and turn left again at the end of it to take a tortuous path (Route Anglaise) that takes you to Petit Carrefour.
GR (Red and White) markings
(3) Continue opposite on Route du Bosquet towards the Carrefour Saint-Barthélemy. Cross the D126 and continue across the road between plots 175 and 177. At Carrefour Grisard (post) go straight through the Route du Bosquet Rond to the junction of the same name.
(4) Veer left and, at the next crossroads 200 m further on, take a right to reach Poteau Sainte-Marguerite. Continue straight through along Route Sainte-Marguerite to Poteaudu Merisier.
‘’No markings''
(5) Turn right onto Route Ronde de Haute Chaume which gives way to a for a great stabilised road at the next crossroads. Go straight ahead to the Poteau de la Haute Chaume.
(6) Turn right onto Route de Haute Chaume and go straight towards Carrefour de la Cavée. Cross it and, at the next intersection, turn left. A few metres further on, after you reach the path to the monument erected in memory of victims of the DC10 Turkish Airlines crash on 3 March 1974.
(7) After visiting the site on the right, head back on the road and continue right (north-east) to meet up with the clearing of the Baraque Chaalis 700 m away.
(8) Veer left onto the paved road and follow it, taking the first turn right onto a path at the corner of plot 100. It runs along plots 100 to the left, and 102, 103 and 105 to the right to arrive at the GR®11 at its corner.
GR (Red and White) markings
(9) Turn right and continue on the GR® which crosses at the corner of the plot 108, the D126. Cross the road, 200 m further on you will reach a paved road where the GR® turns left.
‘’No markings''
(10) Cross the road and continue opposite. The road passes successively between plots 123, 118, 122, 119, 120 and 16 at first south-east and then due south.
(11) At the crossroads between plots 16, 17, 18 and 20 (Carrefour d’Ermenonville) veer onto the second path to the right along plot 18. It leads you to the Petit Carrefour about 1 km further on that you went through earlier in the day.
(3) This time head due south, on Longue Route towards Carrefour du Carreau. Follow plots 182 and 183. At the next intersection at the corner of plots 183, 185 and 189, turn right and walk straight to a T-junction with a path along a fence. You are on the edge of the plot 186.
(12) Turn left (in this direction, you can see the Castle of Saint-Sulpice-la-Ramée). The path descends into a valley and then goes back to reach the D922 road near the property’s beautiful chapel.
(13) Turn left on the D922 and then 150 m further on turn right onto the path along the water purification vats.
GR (Red and White) markings often faded
Head down to the bottom of the valley, cross the stream and enter the forest along plot 193. The stony road reaches the paved forest road of Boisdhyver at the Carrefour des Marronniers.
(14) Turn left and then, after 150 m, turn right into the road running between plots 200 and 201.
The marks of the red and white markings are now barred by a slanted white line representing the old GR® diverticulum (a branching off of the route).
At the next junction, bear right to cross plot 202. Stay left at the next junction. You come plot 202 on a track where you turn left at the crossroads at the corner of plot 206.
(15) Turn right, walk along plots 206 and 207, then go between plots 222 and 225. At the crossroads veer onto the second path to the left along plot 224.
‘’No markings''
(16) At the crossroads between plots 223, 224 and 233, turn left to continue until you cross the D922. Then follow the road running between plots 219 and 234 which takes you to the next junction where you find the forest road used earlier in the hike.
Turn right, continue until you cross the gate and walk along the archery range. Then, cross the D922 and turn right into Rue René Girardin that leads you to the car park (S/F). Hope you enjoy this walk in Picardy.
a good walk, but definitely avoid the Morlai and the Chantilly lilies
