Wednesday 11 July in Huguenot country

The valley south of Vaux les Huguenots near Montboulets

Next Wednesday, Claude will lead us on a lovely 13km hike through hills and dales of the Yvelines, starting and ending in a village of the valley of the Mauldre River. On the way, we will pass through a village founded by Protestants fleeing the Counter-Reformation. Here is Claude's info:

Rando au pays des Huguenots

Les vallons isolés des vallées de la Seine et de la Mauldre ont abrité fin 16e siècle des communautés protestantes qui fuyaient la contre-réforme. C'est dans cette campagne aux reliefs harmonieux et aux paysages variés que nous ménera cette facile randonnée de 13km.

Départ Gare Montparnasse à 9h50 train MOPI en direction de Mantes la Jolie, arrivée à Nézel-Aulnay (zone5) à 10h53.

Retour Gare  Nézel-Aulnay 16h08 arrivée à Paris Montparnasse à 17h07.

N'oubliez pas pique-nique, vêtements adaptés à la météo et bonne humeur habituelle.

Claude 06 84 14 55 35

See you on Wednesday!

Claude

The lavoir at Vaux les Huguenots

Wednesday 4 July at Morêt and Montigny

Sisley, Moret sur Loing

Daniel Perot will lead us on a special Fourth of July Stars and Stripes hike near Fontainebleau and the Loing River.  We will start from Moret sur Loing (station Moret Veneux les Sablons) and visit the medieval and historical city. Great! The hike will continue into the natural area of the plain of Sorques followed by a bucolic stroll, with probably a flock of dragonflies, along the Loing (river) which will led us to Montigny sur Loing and our train station.

Getting there: Gare de Lyon, SNCF train  leaves 9.19, direction Montargis, arriving at Moret les Sablons, zone 5, at 10.06. We will travel in the next to last car going out of the Gare de Lyon. (It seems you don't appeciate the last car.)

Give yourself plenty of time at the Gare de Lyon. Remember that there are two sets of quais at the Gare de Lyon, color-coded blue and yellow, or 1 and 2. Check the departure panels to find out where our train departs.

Return: from Montigny, also in zone 5. Trains leave about every hour, 15.45,16.45, etc.

This easy and splendid walk of 14km takes about 3½ or 4 hours plus the visit of Morêt.

Bring water, some lunch and hiking equipment, sporting red, white and blue. Brownies and carrot cake are welcome. Saint Moret cheese nicely replaces Philadelphia cream cheese! I'm looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

On the Web:
Pictures. − Google... Moret-sur-Loing... Images for Morêt-sur-Loing. Maps for a visit of the medieval city. − www.viamichelin.co.uk Morêt-sur-Loing.www.sifex.co.uk.

If you wish to be informed of any changes or cancellations, please
give Daniel your cell phone if you have one (home phone if not).
09 50 56 65 26

01 45 90 65 26

Mobile (the day of the walk only) 06 99 20 70 79.

Email:  daniel.perot@free.fr

In the village of Montigny

Wednesday 27 June at Poissy and Médan

The collegiate church at Poisy

This week I propose a walk of about 16km from Poissy to Villennes sur Seine. We'll explore the Medieval part of Poissy first, seeing its importance in historical terms as the birthplace of St Louis (King Louis IX). Then we'll walk along the Seine passing through Villennes sur Seine (6km) on our way to Médan (8km) where we will have lunch. This village has a chateau, an XIth century church and also the house of Emile Zola (at present covered in scaffolding but still worth a look).

Anyone wanting a shorter day could retrace their steps from Medan to Villennes station (total of10km) which we will already have passed. For the rest of us we will climb gently up through fields and woods (a bit overgrown and muddy in one place) and then make our way back down (including a flight of steps) with distant views over the Seine and La Defense to the pretty town of Villennes and back to the station.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

I will drive so will meet you at Poissy station.
Meet at Châtelet Les Halles to catch RER A train TEDY direction Poissy at 9.48. This train passes through Charles de Gaulle Etoile at 9.53 and La Defense at 9.58 and arrives at Poissy at 10.18.

Travel in the rear of the train if you like being with friends! Poissy and Villennes are in zone 5. Poissy has a complicated series of exits. I will wait for you at sortie Rue de La Gare. This exit is at the end of the platform and down some steps.

RETURN JOURNEY

Trains from Villennes sur Seine to Poissy and then onwards to Saint Lazare run every half hour at 11 and 41 minutes past the hour. The journey to Poissy takes 4 minutes and there you can change and take RER A back to Paris which runs every 20 minutes or stay on the train and go to Saint Lazare which takes 26 minutes.

Wear strong shoes and bring water/ lunch/ rain/ sun/ snow gear, whatever seems appropriate!

Judy
Home phone    01 30 80 01 34
New mobile     06 79 48 38 81

Zola's country house at Medan

Wednesday 20 June along the Bièvres

The moulin at Vauboyen

On Wednesday, June 20, Bob Levy will lead us on a 16 km walk from Bourg La Reine to Vauboyen on the River Bièvre.  In addition to its beauty, this route has been selected for its plentiful shade; which may be welcome as the summer temperatures climb. (We only wish!!)


THERE WILL BE TWO EARLIER / SHORTER ALTERNATIVES: (1) At IGNY (10 km) and (2) At BIEVRES (11 km.)


From the RER 'B' at the Gare of Bourg la Reine we'll walk through the grounds of The Chateau de Seaux.  From there we will continue to the Foret du Parc de la Vallee aux Loups, then south through the Foret Verrieres.  We'll exit at the village of Igny, pass through the Gare IGNY (RER 'C') and proceed along the River Bievre to the Gare de Bievres (RER 'C').  For those who do the entire walk, we'll continue along the river, past the vacation home of Victor Hugo, to the town and Gare at Vauboyen (RER 'C').


We'll plan a lunch stop in the Foret Verrières so that EVERYONE can dine together before the first 'alternative' at Gare at IGNY.


There are no very steep climbs.  There is an uphill section early-on in the Forêt... aux Loups, but nothing to be concerned with.  Through Verrières and later along the River Bièvres the route is downhill or level.


Important Note: There will likely be NO TECHNICAL STOP for the first hour of the walk.


MEETUP: CHATELET-LES HALLES, RER 'B', DIRECTION: SAINT REMY, REAR OF PLATFORM, 9:30 for the train at 9:41.  This train will pass through Saint-Michel, Luxembourg, Port Royale, Denfert.  Add 2 minutes for each station south of Chatelet.


RETURN TO PARIS: RER 'C' changing to RER 'B' at Massy-Palaiseau
From Gare IGNY: Trains at :29 and :59
From Gare BIEVRES: Trains at :26 and :56
From Gare Vauboyen: Trains at :23 and :53.


Please bring a picnic lunch, good walking shoes, and a willingness to laugh.


Bob Levy: levybob@sbcglobal.net
                RAL415@gmail.com
                01-79-67-70-88
Bob Levy: Day of Walk: 06-43-45-58-33

The Bièvre at Bièvres

Wednesday 13 June at Fontainebleau

The second option this week will be the Circuit Denecourt-Colinet number 11, in the Forêt de Fontainebleau and will be led by Mary Lynne. This itinerary is the last one that Jean-Francois Denecourt published (1867) and which he considered one of the loveliest of the forest. It encompasses the Long Rocher and the Rocher des Etroitures. Denecourt spent a good part of his life making known the beauties of the forest to the general public and was nicknamed “Sylvain” de la Forêt de Fontainebleau by Théophile Gautier. Charles Colinet continued Denecourt’s work.

Our walk will be about 16 km with an altitude change of 400 m. There are several rather steep climbs but nothing requiring special skill. It will take at least 4 hours to do the whole circuit to which we need to add another couple of hours for lunch and to walk to and from the train station. The closest station is Montigny sur Loing where trains run once an hour. Therefore, this will be a long day.

Travel information: Depart: Gare de Lyon at 9:19, train R 51815, direction Montargis, arriving at Montigny, zone 5, at 10:12.  Remember that there are two departure halls, color coded yellow and blue. Check the departures board. We will board the last car going out of the station.

Return : from Montigny. We will aim for the 16:45 train, and if by any chance we miss this one we will have to wait for the 17:45 train consoling ourselves with a “bière théraputique”.

You will need sturdy hiking shoes, rain and sun protection and a picnic lunch. Walking sticks will be useful for the descents.

If you need further information or if you wish to be contacted in case of a last minute cancellation (highly unlikely), please send your contact info to Mary Lynne.

mlfich@yahoo.com   01 47 41 98 20    06 70 88 18 59

See you on Wednesday!

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Fran%C3%A7ois_Denecourt  francais

http://translate.google.fr/translate?hl=fr&langpair=fr|en&u=http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Fran%25C3%25A7ois_Denecourt  English

Wednesday 13 June at l'Haÿ les Roses

On Wednesday 13 June we will have two options the first of which is described below. Dominique will take us to the Roseraie in Fontenay aux Roses. 


Information for the second option will appear in the next blog post. It will be in Fontainebleau Forest, the Circuit Colinet-Dénecourt number 11, about 16 km, led by Mary Lynne. There will be several rather steep climbs and descents.

Dominique would like to know as soon as possible if you plan to join her so that she can reserve places at the rose garden.

Next Wednesday 13 June we will walk from Fontenay aux Roses to l'Haÿ les Roses passing through Sceaux and Bourg la Reine. We will visit the famous Roseraie, 3½ hours in all. The terrain is flat with an easy climb to the Roseraie. I've booked a guided visit but have to confirm it. The visit costs 2.25€ each for a group of at least 15 people. Normal entry without guide 3.00€.


La Roseraie de l’Haÿ les Roses, created in 1899 — six years before the rose garden at Bagatelle — is the first garden entirely devoted to the queen of flowers, the first modern rose garden. http://photocosmos.centerblog.net/134-la-roseraie-de-la-haye-les-roses#

Travel details (zone 3):

From Châtelet Les Halles take the RER B, train SVIC, direction Robinson at 9.05. This train will pass through Denfert Rochereau at 9.13; be there in good time.


Arrival: Gare de Fontenay aux Roses (zone 3) at 9.28 — exit 1, rue Félix Pécaud. Meeting in front of the station.


Return: Gare de Bourg la Reine (zone 3) on RER B — frequent trains to Paris.


There is a nice picnic place with wooden tables in the park so I'm going to order sunshine. But you'd better bring your rain gear, anyway.

If you plan to come and enjoy beautiful colours and smells, please email me quickly at this address: dominika.raveau@googlemail.com

Kind regards,
Dominique 
mobile: 06 33 23 07 31 

Wednesday 6 June at Longpont and Arpajon

Longpont Abbey

Next Wednesday Stuart Ellis will be our leader. Below is his information.

Here are the details of my walk on Wednesday 6 June:

Distance: 17,5km with bail-out option after 8km
Start: Saint-Michel-sur-Orge RER
Finish: Arpajon RER
Terrain: flat with only two short climbs up to the tower at Montlhéry.

This week's walk takes us into the beautiful Essonne region. From Saint Michel sur Orge RER we head for the 12th century basilique Notre Dame de Bonne Garde at Longpont. This historic church is on the Compostela route and in its time was one of the major Benedictine monasteries in France. We shall spend around 30 minutes here exploring its history. We then make a short climb to the tower at Montlhéry which sits on a hill overlooking the Orge valley. After descending the hill from the tower we head for the Orge river and follow it upstream to Arpajon where we will visit the église Saint Clément and the 15th century covered market.

This walk has a good mixture of history, nature and, of course, fresh air! As usual we hope that it will be sunny but come prepared for the alternative! I hope you can make it.

Travel details

Going: 9.32 Gare d'Austerlitz RER C ELBA direction St. Martin d'Etampes. Arrive 10.00 Saint Michel sur Orge (zone 5). This train will pass through Invalides at 9.22 and St. Michel/Notre Dame at 9.28. **Let's all meet in the last carriage.**

Return: Arpajon - trains leave at '02 and '32 mins each hour and takes 40 mins to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
Best Regards,
Stuart

mobile: 06 19 85 25 56 

The tower at Montlhéry