Wednesday 30 May along the Seine at Ponthierry

This coming Wednesday 30 May Claude will lead us on the hike that was aborted 25 April because of a last minute train cancellation. This time Claude is taking the precaution of having the meeting spot at the Gare de Lyon. 

Come and discover this new circuit with us, which will take us along the Seine and into the countryside in the department of the Essonne. Here is Claude's information: 

This 17km walk will take us along the Seine and into the nearby countryside where we will see châteaux and streams, lavoirs, ponds and watermills.

Getting there: Gare de Lyon RER D ZIPE at 9.11, direction Melun, arriving 10.04 at Saint Fargeau (zone 5). Look for us on the RER D platform at the gare de Lyon. We normally board the last car leaving the station.

Return: RER D ZIPE at 15.08 from Ponthierry Prigny (zone 5) via Melun to arrive in Paris at 16.11. We might catch the 14.01 train if we don't dawdle along the way.
Don't forget water, your picnic, all-weather clothing and your customary good humour. 

You can phone Claude 06 84 14 55 35 on the day of the walk.

A mercredi!

Claude claude.faure90@sfr.fr

Wednesday 23 May on the Canal de l'Ourcq II

canal de l'Ourcq at Bondy

This week on Wednesday 23 May Daniel Perot will lead us along a portion of the Canal de l'Ourcq.


The canal was conceived to bring badly-needed water to Paris as well as to provide a waterway for the transport of building materials from the Forêt de Retz. It takes water from the River Ourcq which flows into the Marne.  Its construction dates from the beginning of the 19th century under Napoleon I, but talk of bringing water to Paris goes back as far as Louis XIV. Wikipedia gives a detailed history of the canal.


Much of the section that we will walk through is lined by poplar trees. We will also visit the Parc de Sevran where we will see traces of the ruins of the National Gunpowder Factory which operated from 1873 to 1973. 


Departure from the gare d'Hausmann Saint Lazare (RER E). Train COHI, 9.57. Direction : Gare de Chelles-Gournay.  Arrival gare de Bondy (zone 3) 10.13. You can board this train at the Gare de Magenta at 10.01. Buy a one-way ticket to Bondy.


The station Haussmann Saint Lazare is adjacent to and accessible from the gares Saint Lazare or Auber, direction RER E. The station Magenta is adjacent to and accessible from the gare du Nord, direction RER E.


The walk will last 3½ hours. For a shorter walk (2½ hours) possible return from the station Vert Galant (zone 4) RER B.


Return will be from Villeparisis (zone 5) on RER B.


Don't forget your rain gear, sun gear, lunch, water and adequate shoes.


Daniel's contact details are:     daniel.perot@free.fr     09 50 56 65 26
     01 45 90 65 26     Mobile 06 99 20 70 79 (only on the day of the walk).


See you on Wednesday!

canal de l'Ourcq at Sevran

Wednesday 16 May from Vernon to Giverny

House on the Seine at Gaillonet

Next Wednesday 16 May Daniel Robinot proposes an easy 14km hike among charming old homes and spring flowers, between Vernon and Giverny. 

The walk will begin in the old section of Vernon where you will be able to visit the cathedral and wander among many 15th-century houses. From Vernon, we will cross the Seine and walk along it to Giverny where we will visit Monet’s famous garden and eat our picnic lunch before returning to Vernon via a hillside overlooking the Seine. There will be a two or three climbs, short but steep, with a total altitude change of 400m.

Tickets to visit Monet’s house and garden cost 9€. You can purchase your ticket in advance on-line if you are sure of coming (see link below). Otherwise you can purchase your ticket at the garden.

Here is Daniel’s version in French.

Je vous propose une petite randonnée entre de vieilles maisons et jardins fleuris, de Vernon à Giverny.

La promenade commencera par le "Vieux Vernon" où vous pourrez voir de nombreuses maisons datant du 15ème siècle et la cathédrale. Puis nous traverserons la Seine et la longerons jusqu'à Giverny. Visite du jardin de Claude Monet, déjeuner, puis retour par les collines surplombant la Seine.

Environ 14 km, faciles, 400 m de dénivelé (cumulé). Il y a 2 ou 3 "grimpettes" bien raides mais pas longues.

Comme d'habitude, bonne chaussures, lunch, crème solaire et surtout, appareil photo.

Transport : Départ Gare St Lazare – Train direct pour Vernon à 8h20, arrivée à 9h05  Yes, that is early, but we will need time to visit the gardens! Rendez-vous devant la sortie de la gare  Daniel will meet us at the station exit.

Retour 16h53 ou 17h53 – Train direct. Durée du retour environ 50 minutes

La visite du jardin et de la maison de Claude Monet est payante (9€). Il est possible d'acheter le billet sur internet à condition d'être certain de venir, sinon, achat sur place. A voir :  http://giverny.org/gardens/fcm/visitfr.htm

A bientôt.

Daniel

daniel.robinot@free.fr
06 10 85 47 67

Monet's garden at Giverny

Wednesday 9 May on the canal de Chalifert

Next Wednesday, the 9th of May, Jean-Louis proposes to lead us along the Canal de Chalifert east of Paris near the Marne River. Here is his information.

We will start from the Meaux railway station, following the loop of the Marne River inside the town with the

opportunity to have a look at the Roman wall of the city, at some Medieval and Renaissance buildings

near the Cathedral and at the cathedral itself.

Then we'll leave the town and the Marne, crossing the Cornillon canal, the oldest French canal still in water, in operation since 1235 and probably before. We will then follow the canal of Chalifert, a diversion canal to the Marne between Meaux and Chalifert.The canal joins the Marne again, passing under a hill by a tunnel. Of course we'll have to go up and down the hill; a steep but short path (in fact the only minor difficulty of the entire walk.

We then follow the Marne again to the "Jardin de sculptures de la Dhuys" at Chessy and from there to the

SNCF-RER station of Lagny-Thorigny where we'll catch a train back to Paris.

There may be some muddy parts depending on the weather! Be equipped as usual.

How to get there:

meeting point: "Gare de l'Est" in Paris about 09.45. We will to take the train "ZIMO" leaving for Château Thierry at 09.51 and stopping at Meaux at 10.15.

For those who want a shorter walk (about 8 kms) it will be possible to leave the group at the bridge of Esbly where a straightforward road leads to the RER station at about 1 km aside our main path. There are trains every half hour at 26 and 56 minutes after the hour.  32 minutes to Paris.

For the others, after about 16-17 kms we'll take the return train at Lagny-Thorigny at 3 or 33 minutes after the hour. 25 minutes to Paris.

For those coming from and returning to Paris it is cheaper to buy two one-way tickets than a 5 zone Mobilis. From the suburbs the contrary may be the case, check for your own situation.

P.S. As there are not many places suitable for a lunch,  the picnic will be postponed till about 13.00 or 13.30.