Wednesday 3 June between Louette and Chalouette

Claude Faure will lead us on a 19 km walk around Etampes, south of Paris in the department of the Essonne. One of the highlights of this walk is to see the watercress "plantations" along two streams, the Louette and the Chalouette. Bring good walking shoes, rain gear and a picnic lunch.

Here is information from Claude:

Après le curieux clocher penché de Saint Martin d'Etampes, cette longue randonnée de 19 km nous permettra de longer les ruisseaux "Louette" et "Chalouette" et leurs cressonières. Nous traverserons de charmants hameaux et les jolis villages de St Hilaire et Chalo-St Mars.

After the curious leaning tower of Saint Martin d'Etampes, this long walk (19 km) will take us along the banks of two little rivers, the Louette and the Chalouette, with their watercress beds. We'll see some charming hamlets and the pretty villages of St Hilaire and Chalo St Mars.

Departure: gare d'Austerlitz RER C ELBA at 8.26. Arrival at St Martin d'Etampes at 9.28 (zone 6). Claude will join the group en route. At this writing he isn't sure at which station he will board the train.

Return from St Martin d'Etampes RER C GATA at 17.13 arriving at Austerlitz at 18.17

Wednesday 27 May Ponds of the upper Bièvre

Versailles to St Cyr l'Ecole, 27 May 2009

In a way, this walk will be a continuation of Daniel's "Boulogne to Versailles" a fortnight ago. We will walk from the station Versailles Chantiers to St Cyr l'Ecole, going along the ponds where the river Bièvre begins, about 10 or 12 Km. For those hardy ones we can return to Versailles by a different route, another 5 or 6 Km.

Be prepared for some hills, and for the weather whatever it might be, sun or rain. And remember to bring along water and a snack.

We can get to Versailles Chantiers by either SNCF or RER C.

• SNCF: gare Montparnasse 9:43 (arriving at Versailles at 10:07) MOPI direction Mantes le Jolie
  
  
• RER C: St Michel - Notre Dame 9:38 (arriving at 10:13) SARA direction St Quentin en Yvelines

I will meet you at Versailles Chantiers at the exit.

A bientot,
Prudence
prukupka@aol.com

Wednesday 20 May from Chantilly to Senlis

Here is information from François Bechet who will lead this week's hike.

We will take the train leaving Gare du Nord at 9.31 (main lines) direction Saint Just en Chaussée, arriving at Chantilly-Gouvieux at 9.56. (Meeting point at Gare du Nord in front of the last carriage).

Return from Senlis by SNCF bus at 15.30 arriving at Chantilly at 15.55; then the train leaves Chantilly at 16.42 and arrives at Gare du Nord at 17.08. So we will have time for a drink at Chantilly.

Note that since Chantilly is outside the Ile de France region, you'll have to buy the tickets at an SNCF station or agency. You can buy a single ticket Paris-Chantilly and a return ticket Senlis-Paris.

The walk will be about 12 kms, mostly through the flat forest of Chantilly. We'll see the XVIIIth century Grandes Ecuries and the Château and will have some time to visit the little town of Senlis, especially the cathedral.

As usual bring picnic lunch and rain gear.

There is no need to tell me if you plan to come.

François

Wednesday 13 May from Boulogne to Versailles

Daniel Perot will lead an agreeable walk from Boulogne to Versailles. We'll lunch at the Etangs de Ville d'Avray. Nestled in a valley next to forest of Fausses-Reposes, the ponds were made famous by the paintings of Jean-Baptiste Corot. Other famous inhabitants of Ville d'Avray include Léon Gambetta, founder of the Third Republic, and the author Jean Rostand.

We'll meet at 10:00 am outside the metro station Boulogne Pont de Saint Cloud on line 10. Take the Musée Albert Kahn exit and look for the red and black logo of the Société Générale bank next to the exit.

The walk will start by crossing part of the Parc de Saint Cloud and then on to Versailles via the attractive village of Ville d'Avray.

We'll return by RER from Versailles. The walk will last 4 hours, or more if you join us in an optional visit to the Hameau de la Reine at Versailles. Please wear your spring shoes and bring a light lunch and water.

If you plan to come it is important that you contact Daniel and provide contact details to be alerted to any last minute changes.

Daniel Perot, email daniel.perot@free.fr.

Wednesday 6 May on the Mauldre

Dear Walking Friends,

This week, Claude will again lead us on a lovely walk, this time along the valley of the Mauldre which is gorgeous at this time with the fields of rapeseed in bloom. We already did the southern part of the valley last year (or the year before) and now we will do the northern part. It is about 14 km with gentle ups and downs. As usual, bring a picnic lunch and rain gear. Claude will meet you at the Epone train station at 10:09.

Valley of the Mauldre North

From Epône to Mareil sur Mauldre, this 14 km walk up the valley of the Mauldre will take us through some charming Ile de France: Epône and its 12th-century church; Aulnay sur Mauldre; Maule, the largest town in the valley; and finally Mareil sur Mauldre and its 15th-century church.

Departure: 9.23 from the gare St Lazare direction Mantes-la-Jolie, arriving in Epône Mézières at 10.09. I'll meet you at Epône.

Return: 15.58 from Mareil sur Mauldre arriving at 16.49 at Montparnasse.

Don't forget to bring your picnic lunch.

Claude

claude7.faure@orange.fr


Vallée de la Mauldre Nord

Cette randonnée de 14 km entre Epône et Mareil-sur-Mauldre nous permettra, tout en remontant la vallée de la Mauldre, de traverser de charmants petits villages d'Ile de France: Epône et son église du XII° s, Aulnay-sur-Mauldre, Maule le bourg le plus important de la vallée et enfin Mareil-sur-Mauldre et son église du XV°S.

Aller/ Departure: 9h23 à la gare St Lazare direction Mantes-la-Jolie pour arriver à 10h09 à Epône
Retour/ return: 15h58 à la gare de Mareil-sur-Mauldre pour arriver à 16h 49 à Montparnasse

N'oubliez pas votre pique-nique.

Je vous retrouverai à la gare d'Epone

Claude

claude7.faure@orange.fr

Wednesday 29 April from Poissy to St Germain en Laye

This week's walk will be led by our intrepid Claude. He will take us from Poissy to St. Germain-en-Laye, visiting the Collegiale of Poissy and the famous Villa Savoy designed by Le Corbusier. Here is Claude's information.

Cette randonnée d'environ 15 km entre Poissy et Saint Germain en Laye nous permettra de balayer 8 siècles d'histoire de France depuis la collégiale de Poissy où fut baptisé Louis IX (Saint Louis) à la villa Savoye de Le Corbusier. L'itinéraire dans la forêt de St Germain nous permettra de voir quelques oratoires, de longer la maison d'éducation de la Légion d'Honneur ainsi que le château du Val pour terminer sur la terrasse et le parc du château de St Germain.

Aller par le RER A qui arrive à POISSY à 9h 58 (9h 26 à Châtelet les Halles) zone 5.

Retour par le RER A à partir de St Germain, un RER toutes les 10 mn

Je vous retrouverai à la gare de Poissy.

Claude
claude7.faure@orange.fr
Veuillez confirmer votre participation par mail.


The walk will take us from Poissy to St Germain en Laye, about 15 km. On the way we'll sweep through eight centuries of French history, from the collegiate church at Poissy, where Louis IX (Saint Louis) was christened, to the Villa Savoye designed by Le Corbusier. In the forest of St Germain we'll see a few wayside oratories and pass by the maison d'éducation of the Légion d'Honneur and the château du Val, ending with the terrace and the château park of St Germain.

Departure by RER A arriving in POISSY, zone 5, at 9.58 (passing through Châtelet les Halles at 9.26).

Return via RER A from St Germain with a train every 10 minutes.

I'll meet you at Poissy station.

Claude
claude7.faure@orange.fr

If you intend to come, please confirm by email .

Wednesday 22 April

On Wednesday 22 April, Anne-Marie, Prudence and Claude will lead us on a 12 km, four hour walk through charming countryside along the Canal de Meaux and the Marne River from Esbly to Lagny. On the way, we will pass the birthplace of Louis Braille and the astonishing sculpture garden of Dhuys, an open-air artist’s studio with more than a dozen sculptures made from stones recycled from the ruins of a nearby bridge and aqueduct which was destroyed during the Second World War.

This walk is through flat terrain with the exception of one short but fairly steep hill.

Departure: Gare de L’Est, train 20364119, which leaves at 9:30 in the direction of Meaux, arriving at Esbly, zone 6, at 10:01

Return: from the gare de Lagny, zone 5, to Paris, Gare de L’Est. Trains leave Lagny every half hour.

Remember the usual picnic lunch, rain gear, and possibly sun protection if we are lucky with the weather.

Please inform Prudence or Claude if you intend to come on this walk

Prudence: prukupka@aol.com

Claude: claude7.faure@orange.fr

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Mary Winter has posted a set of pictures illustrating the walk at http://mjwinter.com/marnewalkweb.

At http://picasaweb.google.fr/elebelle/IleDeFranceWalks2009?feat=directlink Ellen Vivet has pictures from this walk and the 15 April outing to Sceaux.