From Rambouillet to Orgerus

A south-north crossing of the forests of Rambouillet and the Quatre Piliers, from station to station!
The route, mainly in the forest, is long and requires a good sense of direction on its first half. Several ponds and several remarkable trees line the route.

Description of the hike

Starting point and access: Rambouillet station.

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(D) With your back to the station, head straight ahead and cross the square. At the traffic light, cross Rue Sadi Carnot and take Rue Gambetta. Follow this street straight passing successively the primary school, the post office and the Saint-Lubin Church behind, the war memorial and the gendarmerie.

(1) At the end of the street, turn right Rue Mauricie Dechy. Cross Rue de la Providence on the left side and continue straight downhill. At the crossroads, follow Rue de la Commune opposite. Go past the “Vernes” bus stop on the left side. At the roundabout, take the 1st right, Rue des Marais towards Poigny-la-Forêt. Come out on a wider street and follow it to the right (preferably on its left sidewalk).

(2) At the Maison Forestière de la Grille de Versailles, cross the D936 (be careful) and follow it towards Poigny-la-Forêt by taking the cycle path which runs parallel to it on the right. Ignore two path starts on the right and go up to the Forest House of the Grille aux Lapins.

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(3) At the height of the pedestrian crossing, turn right on Route forêt de Coupe-Gorge. After about 250m, turn left, pass a forest barrier and continue for about 800m on a smaller road which offers two pleasant grassy verges if you don't like tarmac.

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(4) At the crossroads located in a slight bend in the road to the right (plot no. 26-22), turn right (north-east) onto a grassy path (yellow cross). Go straight ahead in a forest with beautiful fern undergrowth, crossing plots 26-22 then 26-17. Come out on a paved road and follow it a few meters to the right. At the end, find the Route de Coupe-Gorge and follow it to the left. Go straight to the Étang de Coupe-Gorge car park.

(5) Take opposite (North-North-East) the dyke of the pond. At the end, turn left with the small paved road. When it turns right, leave it and go straight on a path that runs alongside the pond as close as possible.

(6) Ignore a stone bridge on the left and continue straight along the tail of the pond. Follow a path that winds through ferns, with the stream supplying the pond some distance to the left. Cross a brook (which may be dry) and, at the fork which appears shortly after, take the most marked path to the right. Lead to a small car park (oak with two barrels in the center).

(7) Bypass this oak, pass a forest barrier and follow a good path due north, ignoring the departures on the sides. After about 350m (elevation 174, parcel n°29), ignore a path on the right and immediately after take a path on the left (East-North-East; concrete culverts on either side of the start of the path). Cross a stream and
lead to a crossing.

(8) Then turn right (North-North-East) onto a path. Cross a ditch (fragments of an old metal sign on a tree) and turn left (damp passage). Continue northwest on a wide grassy path and
note an old emblazoned marker on the left side. Continue in the same direction on a path (private property on the right side) and end at the foot of the majestic Chêne de la Tête d'Alouette.

(9) Continue northwest on the trail. Cross a road (sign “Forêt Domaniale”) and continue northwest on the path opposite. Ignore a start of the path on the left (hill 176) and come to a crossroads further on (hill 176 too; open ground opposite).

(10) Then turn left, pass a forest barrier and go due east. Cross a cycle path then a sandy bridleway prohibited to pedestrians (plot no. 15-09). At the next intersection, continue straight.
After about 200m, turn right with the path (private property signposted on the left; no path opposite). Go straight ahead, due north, to the Croix de Vilpert crossroads.

(11) Bypass the central cross on the left and take the 3rd on the left, the Route de Saint-Léger, a wide gravel path starting at the foot of the forest house. Bypass the 1st Mare de Vilpert on the right and ignore the departures on the right.

(12) At a crossroads at the height of the 2nd Mare de Vilpert (plot n°15-02), take a good path to the right (North-West). Cross a cycle path and continue straight.

(13) At the end of the path, cross the D61 (be careful) and enter the forest again opposite. At the fork which immediately presents itself, turn right slightly uphill. Walk along a micro-pond on your left, turn left and cross (North-North-East) a thinning area. Descend into a hollow in the valley, go up and cross the cycle path again. After about 250m (wet passages), find the cycle path, follow it for a few meters in the tip of its hairpin bend to the left and continue North-North-East on a path. Cross the cycle path one last time and descend straight down a stony path.

(14) At the bottom (plot no. 07-22), cross a stream (blocks of stone across). Then veer left, leaving an oak tree bearing the sign “Route du Relancer” on the right hand side and following a grassy path with the stream some distance away on the left.

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(15) At the T-junction, go right on a wide, slightly uphill path. At a 1st crossing, continue straight. At the 2nd crossing (sign “Route du Hêtre Ramoneur à Route de Belsédène”), continue opposite, ignore a start on the right and follow a gravelled path North-North-East.

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At the intersection (hill 178), turn left at an acute angle.

(16) After about 250m, take the 1st path on the right (forest barrier; isolated Orange beacon). Very quickly, the path is made up of 2 parallel paths separated by a wetland: stay on the right path (further on, the 2 paths separate). Walk West-North-West then North-West on the path and ignore the departures on the sides. Cross a road and, at the following fork, continue straight (ignore the start to the left). This leads to the small Étang Rompu car park.

(17) Then turn immediately to the left and follow the Route aux Vaches (according to the map, you are supposed to follow the GR® 1 but the junction with it occurs further on). At a crossroads (large beech tree with 3 shafts on the right), continue straight on the gravelled path.

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(18) Ignore a path coming from the right (ONF sign on the left) and continue straight. At a fork, turn left and walk along a fence on your left. At an intersection (elevation 147; small bridge on the right), continue straight and flat with the GR® 22 (let the GR® 1 go to the left). Walk along the bottom of the valley with a pine forest on the slope to the left. Ignore a start on the left then cross the stream. Immediately ignore a path coming from the right, continue in the valley and, twice, ignore a bridge on the left.

(19) Cross the Route Roulée (bridge on the left not to be taken) and continue straight. At a 1st fork, turn left and, at a 2nd fork, turn right. Go along a fence on your right and gain altitude in relation to the stream on your left. Go back down and come to a crow's feet (very large beech on the right).

(20) Then turn left and take the wooden footbridge over the stream. Go along a pond on the right. After the pond, at the corner of a fence, turn right. Leave the forest and walk along the meadows. Ignore a start on the right, pass a barrier and find the tarmac at Gambaiseuil.

(21) Continue straight on the D112 towards Gambais. When the road bends left, turn right into a path that enters the forest. Go along a fence on your right and, at the end, continue straight on the Route du Champ Mauduit. Cross a perpendicular path and walk between a pine wood on the left and, on the right, a birch wood with a beautiful undergrowth of ferns.

(22) Cross a small road and continue on the Route du Champ Mauduit. Walk West-North-West then North-West, in a landscape of clear high forest with undergrowth of ferns. Cross several perpendicular paths and reach a T-junction near the Etang Neuf.

(23) Then turn right and successively cross 2 bridges without guardrails, one of stones then one of wooden sleepers. Follow
due north the Etang Neuf dyke. Then turn slightly to the right and reach the Poteau de l'Étang Neuf (picnic table, shelter).

(24) Follow left (West-North-West) the Route de l'Étang de Vitry. At a crossroads, turn right. Turn immediately after to the left and descend frankly. Ignore a path coming from the left and, at a crossroads (not shown on the map), turn right. Exit the forest and continue northwest between the meadows. Pass a metal barrier and continue straight (poplar).

(25) Come out on a small road and follow it to the right. At the fork, turn right onto Chemin du Rond des Sapins. Cross a small road and continue opposite. At the Stop sign, cross the D179 at the pedestrian crossing located on the right side and continue opposite on the tarmac.

(26) At the junction with the Chemin des Dames, go straight ahead on a shady path and follow horse pastures on the left. At the next crossing, go straight between 2 hedges. Turn right to skirt the wall of a property on the left (turrets; majestic chestnut tree).

(27) At the T-junction, follow the road to the right. At the next crossing, turn left on Chemin des Raconis. When this becomes a one-way street “except for local residents” (dead end), follow the Roman Way to the right. At the end, turn left and take the footbridge that spans the N12.

(28) On leaving the footbridge, go right and enter the Forêt des Quatre Piliers. Ignore a start on the right (not shown on the map) and go up a sunken path. Continue to the North-East on a flat surface, ignoring vague departures on the sides (private property).

(29) At the crossroads, turn left-right and continue northeast. Go down into the hollow of a valley and go up. Walk along a fence on the left (wet passages). Ignore a start on the left and come to a new crossroads.
(30) Continue straight (North-East). Note on the right a massive beech tree then an isolated pavilion in the forest. At a triple fork (elevation 180), take the leftmost path, steeply downhill. At the bottom (hill 143), turn left then immediately right, and follow a sandy path. Pass a forest barrier and continue opposite in an alley. Follow the lane to the north, ignoring the departures on the right, pass a car park on the left and reach Orgerus-Béhoust station (A).