Wednesday 30 January at Batignolles and on the Orge

Winter in the square des Batignolles 

Next Wednesday, January 30 (yes. It's almost the end of the month!) we will have two options, a half-day and a whole-day hike. 

The half day hike will be led by Marcel in the quartier of the Batignolles in Paris. Here is Marcel's information:

Poets like Verlaine, Mallarmé, Brel and Barbara lived there. It's a typical Parisian quartier (we'll see the cité des Fleurs and the church Saint Josèphe des Epinettes) but there's also an English garden (square des Batignolles), a Polish school and some American traces (the "church" of Scientology and a park named after Martin Luther King) and restaurants of every type.

We'll see all that, but we won't see the new quartier with a judicial center and a shopping mall on the site of the old SNCF rail yard.

At noon, with volunteers, we'll lunch in a restaurant. The afternoon is free for further exploration.

We'll meet at 10am at Metro Guy Moquet on line 13, exit 2 (rue de la Jonquière).

Des poètes, comme Verlaine, Mallarmé, Brel, Barbara y ont vécu. C'est un quartier typiquement parisien (nous y verrons la cité des Fleurs et l'église St Joseph des Epinettes) mais on y trouve aussi un jardin à l'anglaise (square des Batignolles), une école polonaise, et des traces US (église de Scientologie et nom du parc "Martin Luther King"), des restaurants de toutes les couleurs.....

Nous verrons tout cela, mais nous ne verrons pas encore le nouveau quartier, avec le nouveau centre judiciaire, le centre cmmercial, en construction sur les anciens terrains SNCF.

A 12h,avec les volontaires,nous déjeunerons au restaurant. L'après midi, temps libre.

Rendez-vous: 10h metro Guy Moquet--ligne 13, direction St Denis , sortie 2 (rue de la Jonquière)

  

Amicalement,

 Marcel.    cm.kohl@wanadoo.fr

Stuart will lead the full day hike. Here is his info: 

Countryside in the Town

Start: Saint-Michel sur Orge
Finish: Athis Mons
Distance: 18km
Bail-out options: Epinay-sur-Orge, Juvisy
Terrain: mainly flat on good paths following the river; one steepish but short climb at Juvisy

This week's walk follows the river Orge (Promenade de l'Orge) from St. Michel to its bitter end at Athis Mons where it joins up with the Seine. Along the way we shall make a detour at Viry-Châtillon to see the world's first airport inaugurated in 1909. All that remains today is the original terminal building which, sadly, is in a state of bad repair but from this building there is a straight line to the vast, sophisticated airports we have today. Incredibly, all this has happened in just a hundred years! 

At Juvisy the Orge goes underground for a while so we'll take the opportunity to go and see the Flammarion Observatory and its small park. Nicolas Camille Flammarion was an influential astronomer in the late 19th century but also a keen Spiritualist. A crater on the moon is named after him. He is also buried in the park to be near his beloved observatory! We then return to the Orge and follow it for it's final few kilometers before it becomes one with the mighty Seine.

Weather-wise come prepare for cold and possibly some showers. Hopefully the snow will have melted but it will probably be quite wet underfoot. Please also pack your good humour, conversation and patience! Look forward to seeing you.

Getting there:
9.32 depart Gare d'Austerlitz RER C (direction St. Martin d'Etampes)
10.00 arrive at Saint Michel sur Orge (zone 5).
I suggest we meet at the last carriage.

Return:
Epinay sur Orge (zone 4) — Gare d'Austerlitz: every '05, '20, '35, 50 mins
Juvisy (zone 4) — Gare d'Austerlitz: every 10 mins.
Athis Mons (zone 4) — Gare d'Austerlitz: every '04, '19, '34, '49 mins.

Tickets: I recommend buying 2 one-way tickets as this is cheaper than a 5-zone Mobilis.

Best Regards,
HStuartmobile: 06 19 85 25 56

La mare des Evées

Jean-Louis will lead us on next Wednesday's hike. The weather forecast is for continued freezing temperatures and maybe more snow so dress for the Arctic and you'll be warm and toasty. So far there are no proposals for a shorter hike. Here is Jean-Louis' information. 

Bonjour,

je propose 18 km environ de la gare de Melun à la gare de Melun, incluant une partie en forêt de Fontainebleau avec visite de la mare aux Evées et retour par les bords de Seine. Durée totale à pied: environ 5h (durée pique-nique inclus) + transport AR à Melun. Pas de possibilité de raccourci sauf à abandonner avant d'avoir parcouru la moitié et de retourner par le même chemin

Départ 9h19 de gare de Lyon, train 51815, direction Montargis, arrivée Melun 9h44 (Mobilis 5 zones recommandé). Il y a d'autres possibilités pour arriver à Melun, divers RER de la gare du Nord par exemple. Bien verifier les itinéraires les plus commodes pour vous, les horaires, la durée etc.

Pas de difficultés particulières, terrain plat. Prévoir pique-nique et équipement standard. Il fera froid (bonnes chaussures: risque de neige)!

Retour possible à 15h13 [tr 51958], 15h43 [tr 91024], 16h13 [tr 51960], 16h43 [tr 52960] etc. Tous trains directs gare de Lyon.

==============================

My proposal is a walk starting and returning from the Melun railway station, about 18 km.  

It includes a walk in Fontainebleau forest passing by the étange des Evées and returning along the Seine. Duration about 5 hours including picnic. No bail out possible except by quitting the group early and returning alone the same way we came.

Departure: 9.19 gare de Lyon train 51815 direction Montargis, arrival in Melun 9.44. (Mobilis 5 zones is recommended.) Getting to Melun is also possible, by RER from gare du Nord for instance, but check out departure, arrival and travel times to see if they suit you.

No special difficulties, the terrain is mainly flat. Bring a picnic and standard equipment for cold weather including sturdy shoes as the weather forecast includes a chance of snow showers!

Direct return trains at 15.13, 15.43, 16.13, 16.43 etc.

Jean-Louis Narjoux

Wednesday 16 January around Crécy La Chapelle

Last-minute addition: 

Prudence has offered to lead a short walk in the Bois de Boulogne for this Wednesday. It should be lovely with a little snow. Here is her info.

A walk in the Bois de Boulogne

We will meet at the metro station Sablons, line1, exit 'jardin d'acclimatation', at 10:00 and walk through the Bois to porte d'Autueil about 8 - 10 km. We'll try go around the lakes, see the Cascade, the Pre Catalan (maybe Bagatelle too). Technical stops will not be easy. Seeing as it will be a short walk there won't be a lunch stop, but bring a little snack for a break. There are cafes at porte d'Auteuil, just in case! 

Prudence
06 63 44 60 09

Crécy la Chapelle, wisteria the year around

Here is Judy Choat's information about next Wednesday's walk. There is no bailout possibility; but we have a shorter option described above.

This week's walk of about 18 km will start and finish at the pretty town of Crécy La Chapelle with its defensive medieval towers (one of which was used by Corot as a studio in 1873), inner and outer moats and the Grand Morin river.

We will then set off through the countryside and forest passing through quaint villages, crossing the river twice more on an up and down trail with the sting in the tail being that the steepest climb is towards the end of the walk!

Travel arrangements

We will take the 9.31 train MICI from Gare de L'Est, direction Meaux, to Esbly. There we will have 7 minutes to change trains, catching  the 10.09 to Crécy La Chapelle (zone 5) arriving at 10.22.

On the return journey the trains run hourly at 36 minutes past the hour and the most likely train for us would be the 15.36 train changing at Esbly for the 15.56  arriving Paris Gare de L'Est at 16.28

Given the time of year I am sure it will be muddy so wear appropriate footwear , bring lunch , and clothing suitable for inclement weather.

Judy Choat

Mobile phone number  06 79 48 38 81

The chapel at La Chapelle

Wednesday 9 January at Montfort l'Amaury

Montfort seen from the château

A happy, healthy, active 2013 to all! We hope that you are ready to embark on our new year of hikes. 

Daniel Robinot will start us off with a 15 km hike around the charming town of Montfort l'Amaury which is situated at the edge of the Rambouillet Forest. There are several noteworthy sites to visit in the town: ruins of the chateau, the church and its unusual cemetery, Maurice Ravel's house, and others.

On the practical side, there will be several muddy passages so come prepared. It will be possible to cut the walk short to 9 km. at Monfort. You will need a picnic lunch, appropriate clothes and your usual good humor. Here is Daniel's information including the train times.

Amis randonneurs, tout d'abord mes meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année.

Afin de bien commencer celle-ci, je vous propose d'aller vous dégourdir les jambes autour de Montfort l'Amaury, petite cité médiévale qui s'étend au pied des ruines de son château. Au passage, nous pourrons visiter son église et son cimetière, certainement l'un des plus curieux de France. Mais bien d'autres lieux seront à découvrir.

En pratique : Randonnée de 15 km environ. avec peu de dénivelés (250 m). Certains passages sont particulièrement boueux et très humides, donc les chaussures adaptées sont indispensables.
Il est possible d'écourter le trajet à Montfort. Dans ce cas, randonnée de 9 km environ.

Départ de Paris-Montparnasse à 8h58 (train DAPO) sur la ligne de Dreux   (Meet at the end of the quay to board the last car going out.)
Arrivée gare de "Montfort l'Amaury-Méré" à 9h36 RDV devant la gare (Daniel will meet you at the station.)

Retour 15h25 ou 16h25 pour une arrivée à Paris à 16h02 ou 17h02

Comme d'habitude, prévoir vêtement adapté, pique-nique, bonne humeur et surtout, chaussures de saison.

Daniel Robinot
06.10.85.47.67

In the parish church at Montfort