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: 

LEVYBOB@SBCGLOBAL.NET

01 79 67 70 88

And on the day of the walk: 06 43 45 58 33

On the Juine at Janville

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!

Wednesday 28 September at Luzarches

This Wednesday, September 28, Claude will lead us on a delightful end-of-summer hike in and around the town of Luzarches, about 30 km north of Paris in the department of the Val d’Oise. We will take an early train because direct trains to Luzarches are infrequent, and in doing so, we will be able to see the morning mist over the countryside. With any luck we will see dewdrops on spider webs before the sun has burned them off.  Lunch will be beside a former washing house (lavoir). The town of Luzarches has several remains of its past worth seeing as well: the church, the market stall and a remaining city gate. Here is Claude’s information. You see that we are counting on a sunny day!

Quoi de mieux que de partir de bonne heure pour une magnifique randonnée ensoleillée de 14 km. Elle nous conduira  à Luzarches pour découvrir cette jolie petite ville et ses environs vallonnés et parcourus de petits ruisseaux agrémentés de nombreux lavoirs.

Départ: Gare du nord à  8h49 par le train LOMI en direction de Luzarches pour une arrivée à Luzarches à 9h42 (quais pour les lignes Banlieue, ligne H, quai 30/31 probablement).

Retour: Gare de Luzarches à 15h51 pour une arrivée gare du nord à 16h42.

N'oubliez pas une petite laine pour la fraîcheur du matin, vos lunettes de soleil, votre pique-nique et votre bonne humeur habituelle.

Claude

01 30 92 04 95

06 84 14 55 35

Wednesday 21 September at Mareil sur Mauldre

close-up view of the Mauldre at Mareil

Next Wednesday, September 21, Judy Choat will lead us on a walk in the department of the Yvelines, starting and ending in Mareil sur Mauldre. We have been to Mareil before, but Judy has prepared a brand new itinerary for us. Here is her info.

 

On Wednesday we will walk a circular trail from Mareil sur Mauldre. The distance will be 20-21 km and will involve a few gentle uphill sections particularly at the beginning. It will be through forest and fields and pretty villages with a glimpse (through a broken wall) of the Chateau de Wideville, one of five homes belonging to Valentino (fashion designer) which he bought in 1995 and has since restored—apparently at great cost .

 

Travel Information:

I will meet you at Mareil sur Mauldre station as I will drive there but you should travel thus:

 

Paris Montparnasse train MOPI, direction Mantes la Jolie leaving at 9.43 and arriving at Mareil sur Mauldre 10.35. This train stops at most intermediary stations, for instance: Meudon at 9:53, Sevres RG at 9:58, Versailles Chantiers at 10:07, Plaisir Les Clayes at 10:23. If you all want to travel together I sugggest you meet in the last carriage. Anyhow I will see you all on the platform at Mareil-sur Mauldre.

 

The return trains are hourly and I think the most likely one will be at 16.58, train POMI, arriving Montparnasse at 17.57

 

Wear strong shoes, bring a picnic and plenty to drink , also waterproofs (which will hopefully stay in your bag!)

 

My cell phone number in case of an emergency  06 84 30 91 47

See you on Wednesday,

Judy

classic bridge over the Mauldre

Wednesday 14 September along the Marne

The château at Champs sur Marne

Daniel will be leading a walk on the beautiful banks of the Marne and its
parallel canal, where the constant passage of barges contrasts with the
elegant canoes and kayaks.

We'll visit the Château of Champs (the garden "à la Française"), one of the finest in France, set in a park in the "English style".
----
*Transport *

RER A (direction Marne-la-Vallée) to Neuilly-Plaisance (zone 3).

The train DYLA passes through Paris at
- Charles-de-Gaulle/Etoile              9:47.
- Châtelet/les Halles                      9:53.
- Gare de Lyon                              9:56.
Arriving at Neuilly-Plaisance at      10:09.
----
Meeting outside the station. Main exit, place de la Gare.

Return from Noisy-Champs on the same line but in zone 4.
----
Distance 15 kilometres.
Bring the usual picnic lunch, water and rain or sun gear.
> ----
See you on Wednesday!

Sunday 4 and Wednesday 7 September in the Chevreuse

Château de Mauvières

Next Wednesday, Sept. 7, Bob Levy will lead us on a hike in the Chevreuse Valley, and he will also do the same hike this coming Sunday, Sept. 4 for the PAN hikers. If you cannot join us next Wednesday you are welcome to join the PAN group this Sunday. Here is Bob's info:.

Châteaux and villages in the Chevreuse

This is a terrifically diverse walk of 16 km / 10 miles

From the RER 'B' Station at St Rémy lès Chevreuse (and no, this is not a walk we have done before) we walk south through a lovely mile-long arbor of trees to the village of Boullay les Trous. Crossing fields we soon re-enter the forest and proceed to the Château de Breteuil. From there the forest path leads us to the extraordinary village of Choisel, then the Château de Mauvières. A short climb through the Forêt de Mauvières, then a level route along the GR11, the village of Chevreuse, then the riverside back to St. Rémy (PHOTO). Trains depart St Rémy for Paris every 15-20 minutes.

For those desiring a somewhat shorter day, there is a bus from Chevreuse to St Rémy at 2:50 pm, saving the walker the final 3 kms.

Meeting time and place Châtelet Les Halles, RER B, at the rear of the platform, direction St Rémy. Meet at 9:10 for the 9:25 train.  For those wishing to board the train further south, allow 2 minutes for each station between yours and Châtelet Les Halles. For example Port Royal is 3 stops south so wait 6 minutes more for the train to arrive.

CONTACT: BOB LEVY LEVYBOB@SBCGLOBAL.NET or 09 79 67 70 88
CONTACT DAY OF HIKE (SUNDAY the 4th) 06 43 45 59 00

Bob Levy

The village of Chevreuse

Wednesday 31 August along the Essonne

Highland cows at Vert le Petit

On Wednesday, August 31, Mary Lynne will be our leader. Here is her info:

Our walk in the  Essonne River valley will take us from the town of Ballancourt to Mennecy and then back to Ballancourt by another route, about 15/16 km on mostly flat terrain. The Essonne flows north from the Beauce plateau for 97 km to join the Seine, giving its name to one of the departments through which it flows. 

We will hike beside lakes and marshes with flora and fauna that the Department of the Essonne is preserving. In fact, these wetlands are some of the best preserved in all of the Ile de France. This hike is sort of a continuation of Virginie’s Essonne hike last May. Here is a rather “corny” preview of what we may see at the ponds of Vert le Petit.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWasCUz7FG4

We will also walk through the Parc de Villeroy in the town of Mennecy which is known for its alignment of 130 giant sequoias.  http://www.mennecy.fr/main.php?r=ENVIRONNEMENT&page=env2_1.php.  

Departure: RER D4, train BIPE, direction Malesherbes, leaving Chatelet les Halles at 9:37and Gare de Lyon at 9:41, arriving at Ballancourt (zone 5) at 10:32.  

For those living outside Paris, a Mobilis ticket is usually less expensive than two one-way tickets. We’ll meet downstairs on the quay so as to be able to get on the last car.

Return: from Ballancourt, trains every hour. The one we are most likely to take leaves Ballancourt at 16:47.

Bring the usual picnic lunch, rain protection, sturdy waterproof shoes and good humour.

See you on Wednesday, hoping for good weather.

mlfich@yahoo.com

06 70 88 18 59

0147419820