Wednesday 2 May from Conflans to Cergy

Happy May Day to you. As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. 


On Wednesday May 2, Bob Levy will guide us on a 16 km walk above the River Oise, from Conflans Saint Honorine to Cergy Saint Christophe (both are in Zone 5).  

After crossing l'Oise, the route follows the GR3 through the village of Maurecourt, past a wonderful trail-side display of paintings by its renowned one-time inhabitant, Berthe Morisot.  Then it's along the GR Ceinture Vert (Green Belt), up and through the forest de l'Hautil, through farmland and woods, before entering the beautiful bois de Vallée.  From here we parallel the Oise as it flows northward, the paths level, the Spring woods rich and green.

When we reach the outskirts of Cergy there will be an option for those desiring a shorter day.  A flight of marble steps will take them directly to the RER at Cergy Saint Christophe, a walk of less than a kilometer.  

For the rest, a flight of steps will take us down to a fabulous red pedestrian bridge which leads to an island in the Oise.  After spending as long as we want on the island (on a day sunny and warm, perfect for a short nap), we climb back up the marble steps to the RER.

The terrain is mostly level.  However, there is a gradual 1.5 km uphill early in the walk.  There is also the flight of marble steps which lead up to the RER at day's end.  For those who elect the longer day, those steps are, of course, more numerous.

There are one or two sections of the hike that might be muddy.  These are quite short.

Meeting:

To go RER Station Châtelet Les Halles RER A direction Cergy, the rear of the platform for the rear of the train.  Be there at 9.10 for the train at 9.21. This train, UBOS, will pass through Charles DeGaulle Etoile at 9.27 and La Defense at 9.32 and will arrive at Conflans Fin d'Oise (St. Honorine) at 9.54.

Return: Trains from Cergy St. Christophe run to Paris every 10 minutes or so.

Bring good shoes, a picnic lunch, a 'funny-bone' (don't forget it's Bob doing the 'doing' here).

Wednesday 18 April at Les Vaux, 25 April along the Seine at Ponthierry

Dear Hikers,

 

Since your faithful secretary will be out of town next weekend when I usually send out the announcement for the following Wednesday, here are the announcements for both April 18 and April 25.

 

On Wednesday 18 April, Judy Choat will repeat the walk she did in the winter from Le Perray en Yvelines to the Vaux de Cernay and back to Le Perray. Here are the details:

I am proposing to repeat the hike I did in February when only five intrepid souls set out on an unbelievably cold day, as it really is a beautiful walk. About 21km in length, it is mainly through forest, but passing through a village with a privately owned 19th century chateau; also on the way a former 12th century Cistercian abbey (Vaux le Cernay), which fell into ruin after the revolution and was bought and renovated at the end of the 19th century by the Rothschild family and is now a rather exclusive-looking hotel. We will also pass two attractive lakes, one of which was the inspiration for the French landscape painter Leon Germain Pelouse.

There are two or three short, steep hills and there could be a short, very muddy section. Let's hope the ground is dry. As it is quite a long walk we will have to keep up a reasonable pace!!

If we are cold, wet or tired we could, after a democratic vote, shorten the walk to 16km. We can decide en route, but we will have to stay together.

Travel Arrangements

I will meet you at Le Perray en Yvelines station.

Departure: Gare Montparnasse, train REPU, direction Rambouillet at 8:54 arriving at Le Perray en Yvelines at 9:52 (zone 5). Do not cross the tracks but exit at Rue du Petit Pas.

Return:

Probably train PERU direction Montparnasse at 16:27 arriving at Montparnasse 17:28. There is a return train half an hour earlier or half an hour later. 

As usual wear boots and bring lunch and enough to drink — we will not pass any cafes along the way! 

If you need to contact me:mobile 06 84 30 91 47home 01 30 80 01 34

See you on Wednesday.

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On April 25, Claude Faure will lead us along the Seine and into the countryside in the department of the Essonne near Melun, starting at St. Fargeau/Ponthierry and ending at Ponthierry Pringy. Here is Claude’s information:

Cette randonnée de 17 km nous conduira d'abord le long de la Seine pour nous mener dans la campagne et découvrir châteaux, ruisseaux, lavoirs, étangs et moulins. 

Départ: RER D ZIPE à 9h06 à Châtelet Les Halles en direction de Melun pour arriver à 10h04 à Saint Fargeau (zone 5).

Retour: RER D ZIPE à 15h08 à Ponthierry Prigny via Melun pour arriver à 16h11 gare de Lyon. (Eventuelle possibilité de prendre le train de 14h11 si vous ne traînez pas en route.)

N'oubliez pas pique-nique, vêtements tous temps et bonne humeur.

Tel Claude 06 84 14 55 35 le jour de la rando