30 October 2011

Wednesday 2 November along the Yerres

 
On Wednesday 2 November, Bob Levy will lead a 16 km walk from Boussy Saint Antoine (zone 4, RER D) along the River Yerres and onward - hopefully through Fall foliage (photos taken this week) - to Boissy Saint Léger (zone 4, RER A).  

It is a hike noteworthy (1) for the fact that the first half of the walk was done in July 2011 and many might have missed it, (2) for those desiring a shorter day, a 7-8 km option is available, and (3) for those who do the complete walk, they will be rewarded by a kilometer's stroll along a real 'live' moat – une douve – surrounding the (unseen) Château la Grange.

For those doing the entire walk, please note that currently some two kilometers of the route have a mud coating (not deep), so water resistant shoes are a must.

DIRECTIONS:  

Depart: Gare de Lyon RER D, direction Melun, rear of the platform.  Be there at 8:55 for the train at 9:08.  Don't forget the clocks have changed and so 9:00 will not feel so early.

Return: 

For those desiring the shorter day, return from Gare de Yerres, RER D. Trains to Paris every 15 minutes. The gare is a ten minute walk from the trail. Maps will be provided.

For those doing the entire walk, return from BOISSY, RER 'A', trains to Paris every 8 minutes.  Please purchase your Boissy–Paris tickets in the morning at your home station, as the gare at Boissy is very crowded and has only two machines.

Bring appropriate clothes, strong shoes and a picnic lunch, including apples with cores for Mlle Trixie.

Contact;
Bob Levy: LEVYBOB@SBCGLOBAL.NET or 
                RAL415@GMAIL.COM
                09 79 67 70 88
                On the day of the walk: 06 43 45 58 33
 
 

22 October 2011

Wednesday 26 October in the Quatre Piliers


Next Wednesday 26 October, Daniel Robinot will lead us on a hike in the Forêt de Quatre Piliers in the Yvelines. Daniel is a long-time friend of our esteemed leader, Claude Faure. Many of you know Daniel already from previous walks. I'm sure that you will enjoy the hike he has planned for us.

Here is Daniel's information:

The train leaves from Paris Montparnasse at 8.40, direction Dreux. It arrives at the station Orgerus Béhoust at 9.24. The walk is from the station Orgerus.

Distance is 20 km, easy walking, only 183m change in altitude for the day.

The train back to Paris Montparnasse is at 3.13pm or 4.17pm.
I think the 3.13 train is possible. I estimated our speed at 4 kph but I believe the group can walk a little faster than that.

My mobile: 06 10 85 47 67.

For your information, there will be no possibility for a "pit stop" during the first hour of the hike, so please plan your morning coffee consumption with that in mind!!

You will need a picnic lunch and the usual rain gear just in case.

16 October 2011

Wednesday 19 October on the Marne at Lagny

The Marne at Lagny
 
This Wednesday Jean-Louis Narjoux will lead us on a lovely walk along the Marne. Here is his information.

For 19 October I suggest a 17km walk along the aqueduct of the Dhuis and along the Marne, starting and ending at the SNCF station Lagny-Thorigny east of Paris. Estimated duration is about 5 hours including lunch.

The train MICI towards Meaux leaves from Paris Gare de l'Est at 9.01 and arrives at Lagny-Torigny (zone 5) at 9.53. We'll meet on the platform at about 8.50.

Return trains are on the hour and half hour all afternoon.
 
It will be possible to avoid the last 4km and return directly to the station along the riverside path which the rest of us will take an hour or so later.

08 October 2011

Wednesday 12 October: Two Rivers, Twin Village

Janville sur Juine, the château at Gillevoisin

On Wednesday, October 12, Bob Levy will lead us on the 15 km route from the River Essonne to the River Juine. We will begin at Ferte-Alais on the RER 'D' walking west through that village and continuing west through what should be Autumn forest colors. By morning's end we arrive at the River Juine and the truly charming towns on either side: Janville and Lardy. We will lunch in a willow-filled park along the Juine then wind our way through the two villages.

Following lunch those who wish a short day can take the RER 'C' from Lardy returning to Paris. The route will take all of us up to the gare.

Following the station there is a hill. It is not especially steep, nor is it especially long.  It is wide and graded, and in parts nearly paved. Still, for those who wish to avoid it, there is the train at Lardy. The rest of us will re-enter the Fall foliage and continue onward, finally descending to the village of Bouray and the RER C. Trains to Paris from Lardy and Bouray run every 20 - 30 minutes.

LOGISTICS: MEETING PLACE and TIMES

I strongly recommend purchasing a MOBILIS for this day.  Without it, the cost can be as much as 18€.

We will meet at the GARE DE LYON, RER 'D', DIRECTION MALESHERBES: be there at 9:30 AM for the train at 9:41.  We will board the last car going out.

Please keep in mind that certain 'D' trains begin their route at Gare de Lyon, so you may not necessarily be able to board this train at an earlier station.  Instead, go to Gare de Lyon by any way you can (RER D, RER A, metro line 1 or 14) and check the departure signs for 'MALESHERBES'. 
There is only one train each hour.

Picnic lunch, good shoes, high spirits, and a readiness to laugh.

Contact Bob Levy at: 
01 79 67 70 88
And on the day of the walk: 06 43 45 58 33

On the Juine at Janville

01 October 2011

Wednesday 5 October from Champs to Noisiel and back

The Moulin Saulnier at Noisiel

Next Wednesday's hike will be led by Daniel Perot. Here is his
information. Happy hiking!

The walk on Wednesday continues the one that took us to Champs-sur-Marne on Sept. 14. This time we'll press on to Noisiel.

Noisiel is known as the home of the Menier chocolate factory. In the second half of the 19th century Menier had become the biggest producer of chocolate in the world. In 1872 the architect Jules Saulnier was commissioned to design a radically ultra-modern factory, while housing, schools and a retirement home were built for the workers.

Now the factory is the French headquarter of Nestlé. Our walk there will include some detours to neighboring parks and ponds and a visit to the ahead of its time ferme du Buisson, now used as a theater. Also a visit of the new town that has emerged since 1975. Here a wide array of contemporary architecture is on show, created by architects such as Jean Nouvel or Christian de Portzamparc.

La randonnée du mercredi 5 août sera le prolongement de celle qui nous a conduit à Champs-sur-Marne la semaine dernière. Ainsi, nous continuerons notre escapade de Champs-sur-Marne à Noisiel.

Le nom de cette localité est attaché à l'ancienne chocolaterie Menier, dont vous visiterez les lieux chargés d'une fabuleuse histoire industrielle.
Notre rando autour de ce site, maintenant bien connu des marcheurs, sera marquée par quelques variantes parmi les parcs et plans d'eau, ainsi qu'un passage à la ferme du Buisson, ferme modèle en son temps, maintenant reconvertie en salle de spectacle
.
 

TRANSPORT
RER A (the Marne la Vallée branch) to Noisy Champs (zone 4).
The train OKEY passes through Paris at
- Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile      9:38
- Châtelet Les Halles            9:43
- Gare de Lyon                     9:46
Arriving at Noisy-Champs at 10:06.
When you leave the train, turn to the right along the quay, in the same direction as the train, go up the steps and take the left-hand exit. We meet outside the station.

En sortant du wagon, se diriger dans le sens du train, prendre les escaliers, c'est la sortie à gauche.

RETURN (2 options)
From the station NOISIEL (zone 5) for a 12-kilometer walk.
From the station NOISY-CHAMPS (zone 4) for a 16-kilometer walk.

Bring the usual picnic lunch, water and rain or sun gear.
A good site on the Web:
http://www.ville-noisiel.fr/tourisme/documentation_touristique.html
then "Laissez-vous conter Noisiel" (french/english).

If you wish to be informed of any eventual changes or cancellations, please
r.s.v.p. to daniel.perot@free.fr with your cell number if you have one and
your home phone if not.

09 50 56 65 26
01 45 90 65 26
Mobile (only the day of the walk)  06 99 20 70 79.

See you on Wednesday!