A story of water around Marly and Île de la Loge

Starting point and access: L'Étang-la-Ville station.
- Transilien - Line L, on the section between Paris-Saint-Lazare and Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche.
Take the platform exit towards Paris at Saint-Nom (if arriving from the opposite direction, take the footbridge).

For the most part, the route is not signposted. In the description below, existing signposting is only mentioned where necessary.

(S) On leaving the station, turn left. After a few dozen metres, turn right up Chemin des Terres à l’Eau. At the end, turn right. At the Stop sign, turn left onto Chemin de l’Auberderie. Follow the road to the left and climb gently. At the T-junction, keep right, staying on Chemin de l’Auberderie. After about a hundred metres, turn sharply right onto Chemin du Val de Cruye. At the end of the tarmac, continue for a few dozen metres along a path running alongside a wall on the left.

(1) Just after a sign indicating a shared path, veer left to pass (perfectly legally) through a wide gap in the wall and climb a path winding through the forest. At the junction, take the^second path on the left (east). At the next junction, continue straight ahead. At the T-junction (with a double-trunked oak tree opposite), follow a grassy path to the right. Descend slightly then climb again. At the end, cross a small road (red and yellow markings), follow it to the left and carefully cross the D7 at the entrance to Marly-le-Roi. Continue along the path opposite. Walk alongside a fence on your left and join a tarmac path.

(2) Turn left and go through the entrance gate into Marly Park. At the fork in the road that appears immediately, turn left, following a wall. Shortly afterwards, at a large gate, take the^second right, a tarmac path bordered by grassy verges (red and white markings). When the tarmac turns right with the^GR®, continue straight on along a wide grassy path and head downhill.

At a small flat area, either head straight down a steep slope or take a gentler descent on the right. Continue down the grassy path, then descend a flight of steps from which you can enjoy a fine view of the site of the old castle. At the bottom, turn right, cross a cobbled road and go down a flight of steps at the foot of a ruined wall. Pass between a few old stone boundary markers, cross a gravel path and then climb two flights of steps in succession to reach the site of the old castle. Note the views: to the left over the large pond, to the right over the Tapis Vert.

(3) Head back down the other side and immediately turn left onto a gravel path. When it bends left (litter bin), continue straight on and cross a lawn (permitted). Head straight towards the right-hand side of the pond, alternating between gentle and steeper descents. Pass a row of yews and continue straight on between the large pond on the left and another row of yews on the right. At the far end of the pond and just past the last yew, turn right onto a path that climbs up to a large gate.

(4) Go through the gate to leave the park and cross the road at the pedestrian crossing on the boundary between Marly-le-Roi and Louveciennes. Continue straight ahead towards Louveciennes town centre. Pass the Chemin de l’Aqueduc on the right, then the Chemin des Glaises on the left. Continue along the 30 km/h road and pass the Chemin des Arcades on your right. Cross a wide avenue at the pedestrian crossing on the right and continue towards the station along Rue de Voisins. At the next junction, carry straight on along Rue de Voisins and head downhill.

(5) At the crossroads, turn left into Rue de la Machine and walk past a large old building. When the main road bends to the right, continue straight ahead into a cul-de-sac. At Place Ernest Dreux (kiosk on the left), continue straight on along Chemin de la Machine and walk past the Château de Mme du Barry. Walk gently downhill, passing the Pavillon des Eaux on your right, then the Pavillon de Musique. At the end of the tarmac, follow the Liaison Verte straight on towards the banks of the Seine. Walk down a paved path and you will soon reach a panoramic viewpoint (orientation table).

(6) Continue down the paved path, which zigzags slightly. After a right-hand bend, finish with a relatively steep straight stretch. At the bottom, you’ll reach the quay along the banks of the Seine.

(7) Turn left and walk past the foot of the old Marly Pumping Station. At the traffic lights, turn right to cross the quay at the pedestrian crossing. Then first turn right then left to go up the small road leading to the Bougival bridge-dam. Cross the Seine using the right-hand pavement of the bridge (on the left, the pavement does not continue beyond the bridge).

(8) At the junction, turn left onto the Liaison Verte towards a stadium. Follow a small road lined with beautiful houses on the left and trees on the right, with the Seine in the background. Then walk past some tennis courts. At the Stop sign, continue straight ahead, using either of the pavements (very narrow, but at least they exist). Enter Le Port-Marly and walk past an Emmaüs Centre, then a stadium and its car park.

(9) At the far end of the stadium, turn left as the road sign indicates, towards the car park (the road you have been following so far becomes very narrow and is off-limits to pedestrians). Pass through a wooden gate and, at the corner of the stadium, turn right onto a hard-packed track. At the T-junction that appears immediately, turn left and pass a ‘horizontal bar’ fitness equipment. After the ‘slalom poles’, ignore a path branching off to the right (not shown on the map) and reach a T-junction.

(10) Then follow a hard-packed track to the right through a shaded area. You’ll reach a small roundabout above the Seine. Continue straight ahead, passing a long stretch of grass on your right. At a fork in the road, turn left. Ignore the^first path on the right (not shown on the map) and turn right at the next one, before a barrier leading onto the road you left earlier. Ignore another path on the right (not shown on the map) and return to the Fork in the road you took previously. Continue straight on to the small roundabout. Carry on straight ahead to the original junction.

(10) Continue straight on and, after about a hundred metres, take a footbridge to cross the Seine. On the other side, follow the Sentier des Bateliers (concrete path) to the left. After passing a petrol station, turn right onto a wide avenue. Follow this avenue as it continues and cross it at^{the second set of} traffic lights, after the sign marking the entrance to Louveciennes. Then take the Chemin de Prunay (yellow markings). Stay on this main road, which climbs steadily with a few bends, and ignore the access roads to private residences on either side.

(11) At the traffic lights, turn right onto Allée des Champs Plains (ignore the markings). Ignore a road on the left, pass through a metal barrier and cross a residential area. Cross a road on the right-hand side and, after about 40 metres, turn left onto a gravel path (zigzag). At the end, rejoin Allée des Champs Plains and follow it to the left. At the Fork in the road immediately ahead, turn right, still on Allée des Champs Plains. At the roundabout, take the^first left and head uphill.

(12) At the traffic lights, cross the N186 at the pedestrian crossing and head straight ahead into a cul-de-sac. Then take the^first right. Cross Chemin du Bois Besson on the left (not shown on OSM). At the T-junction, turn left onto a path and leave the fence of No. 6 on your left. Follow this grassy path between two fences, turn right, and keep parallel to the railway line. Go down a concrete path interspersed with steps, rejoin a road and follow it to the left. At the roundabout, go straight on along Chemin Latéral des Vauillons (incorrectly labelled on OSM).

(13) Go under the railway viaduct and go down a flight of steps immediately on the right. Stay parallel to the viaduct until you reach an avenue. Then first turn left then right to cross the avenue and follow Rue de la Briqueterie between two walls. Go up a flight of steps and, at the top, continue straight ahead. Go round a roundabout on the right, without going under the railway bridge, and continue straight ahead parallel to the railway line. You will soon reach Marly-le-Roi station on your right (E).

To get back home:
- Transilien - Line L, towards Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche (direct access) or Paris-Saint-Lazare (use the underpass).

Train timetables: see the Transilien website.

For motorists:
The departure and arrival stations are on the same section of the same line: park in the car park at either station and make a return journey by train.

Good walking shoes should suffice for this route, which follows tarmac or cobbled paths or well-maintained tracks.

No water points identified along the route. The Ile de la Loge circular route, north of (10), is a good spot for a break or a picnic. Bakery and bar-restaurant opposite Marly-le-Roi station (E).

A detailed map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description).

Walk completed by the author on 15 May 2022.

- Marly Park, with its ponds and statues, between (2) and (4).
- Château de Mme du Barry and its pavilions, between (5) and (6).
- Panoramic view (6) of the La Défense district, Mont Valérien and western Paris.
- Marly Pumping Station (7).
- Banks of the Seine between (8) and (9).
- A pleasant, shaded route in the north of the Île de la Loge (10).
- Marly Viaduct (late 19th century) (13).