Wednesday 29 July on the Marne

Daniel will be leading a walk to the beautiful banks of the Marne and its parallel canal, where the constant passage of barges contrasts with slender canoes and kayaks. This section of the Marne which we'll discover will lead us to another sector we are now familiar with, Champs and Noisiel. We'll visit the château of Champs, 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 QYEL passes through Paris at
- Charles de Gaulle Etoile 10:13.
- Châtelet les Halles 10:19.
- Gare de Lyon 10:22.
Arriving at Neuilly Plaisance at 10:36
Return from Noisy Champs on the same line (zone 4).

Distance 15 kilometres.
Bring the usual picnic lunch, water and rain or sun gear.
If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel at

daniel.perot@free.fr
Phone 09 50 56 65 26 or 01 45 90 65 26.
Mobile (only on the day of the walk) 06 99 20 70 79.

A la découverte d'une partie intéressante de la Marne, cette belle rivière, et son canal latéral.
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Le glissement incessant des péniches
fait contraste avec les sveltes canoës-kayaks. (Guide FFRP)
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Cette partie de la Marne que nous découvrirons ensemble nous permettra d'effectuer un maillage avec un autre secteur que nous connaissons bien maintenant, celui de Champs/Noisiel. Là nous visiterons le jardin du château de
Champs, l'un des plus beaux de France qui a la particularité d'être enchâssé dans
un parc à l'anglaise.
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Transport - RER A (direction Marne-la-Vallée). Arrêt : gare de Neuilly-Plaisance.
Le RER (QYEL) passe à
- Charles-de-Gaulle/Etoile 10:13.
- Châtelet/les-Halles 10:19.
- Gare-de-Lyon 10:22.
Arrivée : Neuilly-Plaisance 10:36 (zone 3)
Retour : gare de Noisy-Champs (même ligne) (zone 4).
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Longueur : 15 kilomètres.
Bring the usual picnic-lunch-water and rain or sun gear.
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If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel at
daniel.perot@free.fr
Tel. 09 50 56 65 26 or 01 45 90 65 26.
Mobile (only on the day of the walk) : 06 99 20 70 79.

Ile de France Walks
http://idfwalks.blogspot.com

Wednesday 22 July at Royaumont

Hello fellow hikers,

On Wednesday 22 July, Daniel will lead a walk to the region of Royaumont, located in the Val-d'Oise north of Paris. The highlight will be the Cistercian abbey and its cloister, the largest in France.

The abbey, built in 1228, was dissolved during the French Revolution and converted into a cotton mill. It is now a cultural foundation. The medieval garden could be the right place for our lunch. Entrance is 4.50 €.

Getting There
We will take the train at Gare-du-Nord (surface suburban), train LOMI direction Luzarches, and get off at Seugy in zone 5.
Departure 10.06. Arrival 10.54.
Get your round trip ticket to Seugy at your metro station. There's no ticket office at Seugy, only a credit card machine with Moneo.

Return Seugy 16.13, arriving Paris 17.01.
The train after is at 16.59, arriving 17.43.

The walk is about 14 km long. Cross the village of Seugy. A path in the woods will take us through an often muddy underpass, but avoids the most dangerous stretch of road. Please don't forget your good walking shoes. The road to the abbey is an impressive approach to the domain of Royaumont. Return to Seugy via the peaceful village of Baillon. Bring the usual picnic lunch and rain or sun gear.

As an extra we pause at the café "le Rendez-vous des Chasseurs". Sure, you will be conspicuous as you step inside. Here you are in "la France profonde".

If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel at daniel.perot@free.fr
Phone 09 50 56 65 26 or 01 45 90 65 26.
Mobile (only on the day of the walk) : 06 99 20 70 79.

Ile de France Walks
http://idfwalks.blogspot.com

Wednesday 15 July around Cergy

Ever faithful to the cause, Daniel Perot proposes a new walk for Wednesday 15 July.

Starting from the giant RER station clock at Cergy St Christophe, "biggest in Europe", we'll admire some truly monumental architecture, then wander along the banks of the Oise where it loops around the Cergy leisure center.

Mercredi prochain, Wed July 15th, notre randonnée s'effectuera à Cergy, le long de l'Oise, qui dans un méandre entoure la base de loisirs. Nous démarrerons sous l'horloge gigantesque, la plus grande d'Europe, et là nous découvrirons une architecture audacieuse dans un secteur contrasté, avant d'aller apprécier les bords de l'eau.

Here are the details.
Take the RER A headed for Cergy le Haut:

• Châtelet Les Halles 9.32
• Charles de Gaulle Etoile 9.37
• La Défense 9.42

Arrive at Cergy St Christophe (zone 5) at 10.13
Return from the same station.
The walk should last about 3½ hours, some 14 km.
Bring your lunch, water and sun gear.

Voici donc les détails techniques : Transport par RER A, direction Cergy-le-Haut. Un RER quitte Châtelet/les-Halles à 9:32, Charles-de-Gaulle/Etoile à 9:37, La Défense à 9:42. Arrivée à Cergy-Saint-Christophe à 10:13. Retour par la même station. La gare de Cergy-Saint-Christophe se situe en zone 5. Lunch, water, sun gear... La rando devrait durer 3 h 30 heures (14 kilomètres).

If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel at
daniel.perot@free.fr
Tel. 09 50 56 65 26 or 01 45 90 65 26.
Mobile (only on the day of the walk) : 06 99 20 70 79.

Wednesday 8 July in the forest of Isle Adam

Daniel Perot has written with a new Wednesday walk.

Pour mercredi prochain, je propose une rando dans la forêt de l'Isle-Adam. Il y a un certain temps que nous n'avons pas été à cet endroit. Cela consistera pour tout le monde à refaire un peu de repérage et d'aller à la recherche du "Pavillon chinois". Il faut déjà penser à la rentrée.

Voici donc les détails techniques : Départ : Paris, Gare-du-Nord, 10:13. Train POVA. Arrivée : Gare de l'Isle-Adam/Parmain, 11:08. Acheter un ticket aller, nous improviserons pour le retour. La gare de l'Isle-Adam/Parmain est en zone 6. Lunch, water, sun gear... La rando devrait durer approximativement 4 heures (16 kilomètres).

For next Wednesday I propose a walk in the forest of Isle-Adam. It's been a while since we were there last. For all of us it will be a matter of finding our bearings again and looking for the Chinese Pavillion. Then we'll think of how to get back.

Here are the details.

Depart Paris Gare du Nord surface 10.13 train POVA.
Arrive Gare de l'Isle Adam Parmain 11.08.
Buy a one-way ticket. We'll decide where to come back from on the day.
Isle Adam Parmain is in zone 6.
Bring lunch, water, sun gear etc.
The walk will last about four hours, roughly 16 km.

If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel at
daniel.perot@free.fr
Tel. 09 50 56 65 26 or 01 45 90 65 26.
Mobile (only on the day of the walk) : 06 99 20 70 79.

Wednesday 1 July from St Germain en Laye to Maisons Lafitte

This week's walk, on Wednesday 1 July, will be led by Daniel Perot. Daniel has provided the following information.

The walk will be in the Forest of Saint Germain en Laye. The walk will start in Saint Germain, admiring the château of François I and walking along the château terrace with its panoramic view towards Paris. Then we will zigzag quietly through the forest to our destination at Maisons Lafitte, a lovely residential town known for its horse racing.

To get to the start of the walk at Saint-Germain-en Laye, take the RER A, direction Saint-Germain-en-Laye, arriving Saint-Germain-en-Laye at 10:04.

Buy a single ticket as we will return from the station "Maisons Laffitte", on another branch of the RER A. Saint-Germain en Laye and Maisons Laffitte are in zone 4.

The train leaves Châtelet Les Halles at 9:36, Etoile Charles de Gaulle at 9:42. At St Germain, take the exit "église". The meeting point is in front of the church.

The walk will last approximately 3½ hours with an optional visit of Maisons Lafitte. Bring your picnic lunch, water, sun glasses, sun cream, sun hat, and rain gear (you never know).

If you'd like to join us, please RSVP to Daniel
at daniel.perot@free.fr

Wednesday 24 June on the Canal de l'Ourcq

This week, June 24, Daniel will lead us along a portion of the Canal de L'Ourcq. The canal was built to bring badly-needed water to Paris as well as to provide a waterway for the transport of building materials from the Foret de Retz. It took water from the River Ourcq which flows into the Marne. Its construction dates to the beginning of the 19th century under Napoleon I, but talk of bringing water to Paris went back to the time of Louis XIV. Wikipedia gives a detailed history of the canal.

Much of the section that we will walk through is lined with poplar trees. We will also visit the Parc de Sevran where we will see traces of the ruins of the National Gunpowder Factory which operated from 1873 to 1973

• Le canal file entre deux pelouses couronnées de peupliers et borde le parc de Sevran. The canal winds through grassy banks shaded by poplars and passes the park at Sevran.
  
  
• Le parc forestier de Sevran : Un site industriel (ancienne poudrerie) se transforme en espace vert ! The forest park at Sevran is a former gunpowder factory now made over into a woodland park.
  

Départ - Gare d'Hausmann-Saint-Lazare (RER E) train CISI, 9h57 direction Chelles-Gournay. Arrivée - Gare de Bondy (zone 3) 10h13. Ce même train est accessible depuis la gare de Magenta à 10h02.

Departure from the gare Hausmann Saint-Lazare (RER E) train CISI, 9.57 direction Chelles Gournay. Arrive at gare de Bondy (zone 3) at 10.13. You can board this train at the Gare de Magenta, departure 10.02.

Durée de la rando : 3 h 30. The walk will last some 3½ hours.

Ticket - Acheter un ticket simple pour Bondy. Purchase a one-way ticket to Bondy (zone 3). Le retour se fera par la gare de Villeparisis qui se trouve en zone 5.
The return will be from Villeparisis, in zone 5, and on a different train line.

Don't forget rain gear, sun gear, lunch, water and... shoes as usual. Daniel's email is daniel.perot@free.fr

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Tiffany Urness has kindly sent us some pictures taken during the walk.

Wednesday 17 June on the Marne

This week, Virginie will lead us on a walk along the Marne. Here is her info.

I can lead a walk on June 17, about 17 km along the Marne riverbank, around the first loop: from Maisons-Alfort to Joinville and then maybe to Paris through the "Bois de Vincennes".

The meeting point will be at the station "Ecole vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort" (zone 2, metro line 8), outside at 9.45 and we ‘ll start at 10.00

As usual: remember to bring along water, snack and rain gear

All the best , > > Virginie > > (Tel: 06 89 96 29 96)