Hiking in Ile-de-France: 10 routes for a nature break

In the forest, along a river, near Paris or Fontainebleau: enjoy the nature of Ile-de-France via its hiking trails. Relaxation guaranteed!

When we think of Ile-de-France, we associate it more with urban areas than the hiking trails that cross it. And yet, it’s a predominantly rural region that hides a whole range of routes. And they have a real advantage: the huge regional transport network, which makes it easy to access. In the heart of nature, with or without elevation, in Paris or the Fontainebleau forest: we’ll take you on 10 essential routes to discover the beauty of the region. Ready to enjoy a sports break far from the hustle and bustle of the city? Let's go! 🥾

Where to hike in the great outdoors in Île-de-France?

Can you imagine hiking without the sound of birds, views of beautiful landscapes or the smell of tree sap? If you like walking to surround yourself with nature and recharge your batteries, we’ve got good news for you! You don’t need to go on an expedition to Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or Brittany for that. Île-de-France is full of hiking trails that let you reconnect with nature and forget about everyday city life, all while out hiking. Have you revised your basics so you can find your way around the trails? Well then, here we go for 3 perfect trails to release the pressure, out in the forest or on the banks of the Seine!

Spreading over 3,500 hectares, the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a truly natural setting. It offers 54 km of marked hiking trails. And that's good, because walking in the forest offers a range of benefits. From the city centre, you can embark on a hike that’s accessible to all levels and enjoy the calm and smells of the Saint-Germain-en-Laye hike. From the station, head towards the Terrasses du Château and their unobstructed view of the surroundings. From there, you can join the Val discovery trail, which forms a loop and passes through several points of interest: the dead tree, the duck pond, the remains of the wall of the little park, etc. To find your way, simply follow the salamander along your route!

😰 Difficulty: very easy
🗺️ Distance: 4 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 1hr
🚌 Accessibility: RER high-speed train, Transilien suburban train, bus, car.
🧡 You’ll like: the view of Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the forest trees as far as the eye can see.

"I discovered Saint-Germain-en-Laye while looking for a place near Paris to hike in the forest. I loved the mix of history and nature, and came back feeling re-energised after my trip out!"
Wassim, fan of last-minute trips out with his camera in his bag 📷

Ready to discover the Seine in a different way rather than on a Parisian bateau-mouche? We suggest you follow its banks from Plessis-Chenet to Ponthierry-Pringy at your own pace. From Plessis-Chenet station, cross the famous river via the Coudray lock bridge (no. 7) and pick up the GR® de Pays trail (you’ll find your way using the red and yellow markings). Then, follow the Seine and enjoy the spectacle offered by the peaceful water all along the route, to Seine-Port. Pass through the village and reach the pretty Parc des Iles, before continuing on your way. The circuit ends at Ponthierry-Pringy station.

😰 Difficulty: easy
🗺️ Distance: 13 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 3hr
🚌 Accessibility: RER high-speed train, car.
🧡 You’ll like: the bucolic, peaceful atmosphere of the circuit, not far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Have you ever heard of Rambouillet forest? We suggest you go and have a look! When leaving Rambouillet station, take Rue de l'Embarcadère, then Rue des Eveuses to reach the forest. Your staged route now begins: head for the Etang d'Or, the first lake you find along the way. Then, continue to Etang de la Tour, in Vieille-Église-en-Yvelines. Go around it and head towards Etang de Gruyer and continue to Etang de Coupe-Gorge, the last one along the route. After a picnic break at the edge of this pond, complete your loop by passing through the park of Château de Rambouillet.

😰 Difficulty: intermediate
🗺️ Distance: 20 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 4hr30
🚌 Accessibility: Transilien suburban railway, car.
🧡 You’ll like: a peaceful way to discover the 4 ponds you find along the way.

🤔 What are the long-distance hiking trails around Paris?

The GR® or Grande Randonnée (long-distance) hiking trails ""are long routes marked out by the French Hiking Federation. By using them, you can hike for several days, or even weeks. How to identify them ? Thanks to the characteristic white and red markings of these trails. Several GR®s pass through the capital: GR® 1, GR® 2, GR® 14, GR® 14A, GR® 22 and GR® 655. GR® 75 is completely in Paris: it connects all the "Portes" (entrance gates) of Paris, forming a 50 km loop that goes around the city. As for the GR® 1, it covers a total of 600 km through the forests and valleys of Île-de-France, starting from Porte de Maillot to Saint-Nom-la-Breteche (Yvelines), west of the capital.

Where to go hiking with uphill sections not far from Paris?

For you, is hiking mainly a sporting challenge? If you’re looking for performance and climbing routes, Île-de-France also has something to offer. What’s more, if you need a little adjustment, we include the notion of height gain here. We’ve selected three hikes in the Paris region for you that should get the heart pumping!

Overlooking the Oise and Seine valleys, the Hautil Massif rises to 185 m, making it the highest mountain in the Ile-de-France region. Of course, we’re a long way from Mont Blanc, but this massif is no less interesting. It’s also known for two particular features:
- it’s made of gypsum, a whitish mineral rock
- it’s completely covered with forests.
So, you can happily set off on this loop that should please the most athletic of hikers. Starting point: Vaux-sur-Seine station, then take Boulevard Angibout and Rue du Bel Air. Follow Chemin de la Maison du Bel Air and leave the forest to pass through Triel-sur-Seine and discover its Suspension Bridge. After enjoying the view, continue on your way to reach the Gate of Parc du château du Faÿ and head back into the forest. Take Rue de l'Hautil to reach the Belvedere of the same name. Continue to the astonishing Château de Boisemont and complete your loop by returning to your departure station.

⛰️ Height difference: + 430 m / - 380 m
😰 Difficulty: intermediate
🗺️ Distance: 21 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 6hr
🚌 Accessibility: RER high-speed train, bus, car.
🧡 You’ll like: alternating between sections through the forest and a variety of things to discover.

The famous 25 Bosses hike, does that ring a bell? This 17 km loop is a classic in the Trois Pignons forest, in Noisy-sur-École. But what are the "Bosses"? Quite simply, the peaks that mark out the route! Add 10 “Bosses” to this circuit and you get the 35 Bosses route, or Les Belvédères"". For this route, the extension is found at Bosse no.6 of the initial circuit. We recommend you park at the Trois Pignons car park and reach this Bosse to start your loop of 25. Once back at Bosse No. 6, head north to follow the path that leads to the last 10 Bosses. And if 35 isn’t enough for you, you can also choose the 90 Bosses and 500 Arpents route, which is 55 km long and has a cumulative height gain of 2000m. But that’s another story!

⛰️ Height difference: 1100 m (cumulative)
😰 Difficulty: difficult
🗺️ Distance: 28 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 8hr30
🚌 Accessibility: car.
🧡 You’ll like: the superb views over the Trois Pignons forest, which are well worth the few narrow rocky sections you have to pass through.

A sporting challenge in the heart of the forests of Fausses Reposses, Clamart and Meudon, the Bossapas is an iconic hike in Hauts-de-Seine. To follow its route which forms a loop, we recommend you start from Chaville’s right bank station. And leave early, because the hike lasts about twelve hours at an average pace. To master it ... this way, please !

⛰️ Height difference: + 800 m
😰 Difficulty: difficult
🗺️ Distance: 35 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 12hr
🚌 Accessibility: RER high-speed train, car.
🧡 You’ll like: the physical and mental challenge this classic Île-de-France hiking route represents.

📍 Decathlon outdoor: the best hiking routes on your smartphone

Are you looking for your next hiking (or cycling) trip out? Our (free) Decathlon Outdoor app offers more than 50,000 routes in France, provided by hikers like you. Personalise your search, download your route, and enjoy!

Where to hike in Paris?

You don't have the time or option to travel outside Paris, but still want to go hiking? Don't panic: the capital also has its trails! And yes, even if the urban environment may not seem ideal for a trip out, we’ve found three real gems to discover to (almost) forget you’re in Paris.

Follow the Parisian symbol for the French Revolution! Starting from Place de la Bastille, near the Opera, the steps on Rue de Lyon let you access the Coulée Verte René Dumont. So this is partially a high-level route, so you can discover the city from a different angle. Pass Avenue Daumesnil, on the Viaduc des Arts and its easily recognisable arches, before crossing Boulevard Diderot and Jardin de Reuilly. Go back down to explore Allée Vivaldi and Reuilly Tunnel. The rest of the route takes you past a wagon, a cascading fountain and Charles Péguy square, near Bel-Air metro station.

😰 Difficulty: easy
🗺️ Distance: 4.5 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 1hr30
🚌 Accessibility: metro, bus.
🧡 You’ll like: rediscovering eastern Paris on an unexpected circuit, far from the noise and bustle.

This route with points of interest on the water begins in Paris, at the Porte Dorée metro station (12th arrondissement). It continues for the most part in Bois de Vincennes, the green lung of this district. Once inside, pass by Lac Daumesnil and in front of the Zoological Park. Continue your route to Lac de Saint-Mandé and admire the superb château de Vincennes. Reach Lac des Minimes, the third lake on your route, then continue on to the last one: Lac de Gravelle. The rest of the journey takes you out of Bois de Vincennes to walk along the quays of the Marne, after crossing the Passerelle de Charentonneau bridge. Take Promenade Paul Cézanne to reach Pont de Maisons-Alfort. You’ll find yourself on Chemin du Halage. From here, pass Quai Schaken. Take Boulevard du Général Ferrié to Avenue Noël, before finishing your urban journey at Saint-Maur - Créteil station.

😰 Difficulty: easy
🗺️ Distance: 13 kilometres
⏲️ Estimated duration: 3hr
🚌 Accessibility: metro, bus, RER high-speed train.
🧡 You’ll like: a visit to the iconic Bois de Vincennes to enjoy nature in the heart of the city.

3. A hike on sections of the Petite Ceinture

This time, we suggest quite a special hike, to (re)discover Paris in a different way. On the menu: the different routes laid out as green spaces on an old railway line, called "La Petite Ceinture". These are actually several sections, not connected to each other, which pass through different districts of the capital. You can explore one or more at a time, depending on your preferences and options. In total, the Petite Ceinture is 32.5 kilometres long and passes through 9 districts. Here are the different access points to choose from:

- 12th arrondissement: via Villa du Bel Air, Square Charles Péguy, Rue des Meuniers, Rue Claude Decaen or Rue du Sahel.
- 13th arrondissement: via Rue Augustin Mouchot, Rue de l'Interne Loeb or Jardin de la Porte des Peupliers.
- 14th arrondissement: via Avenue du Général Leclerc.
- 15th arrondissement: via Rue Olivier de Serres, Place Balard, Rue de Vaugirard, Rue Desnouettes or Place Robert-Guillemard.
- 16th arrondissement: via the corner of Rue du Ranelagh and Boulevard de Beauséjour.
- 17th arrondissement: via 2 Boulevard Péreire and the corner of Rue de Tocqueville and Boulevard Péreire.
- 18th arrondissement: via Rue du Ruisseau, Boulevard Ornano or Avenue de Saint-Ouen.
- 19th arrondissement: via Rue de Thionville, Avenue de Flandre or Rue Curial.
- 20th arrondissement: via Rue de la Mare or Rue de Ménilmontant

Are you looking for some uphill sections to work up a sweat? We recommend you explore Parc des Buttes Chaumont or the Montmartre steps to add a little difficulty to your Paris hikes!

For this last part, it would be difficult to choose among all the possible hiking routes offered by the immense Forest of Fontainebleau, which extends over 22,000 hectares in total. This green lung of Île-de-France, located about sixty kilometres from Paris, is the largest in the region. It's accessible by the Transilien suburban railway from Gare de Lyon in Paris, via the stops "Bois le Roi", "Fontainebleau-Avon" or "Thomery" on line R, towards Montargis. There’s even a stop called "Fontainebleau Forêt" that lets you head down into the middle of the forest twice a day on weekends and public holidays. This forest offers around 500 km of marked trails with various points of interest: caves, rocks, ponds, etc. We recommend you plan a whole day to hike its sandy trails, among ferns under the canopy, and let your steps guide the way.

Moreover, in the Forest of Fontainebleau ("Bleau" for those in the know), hikers aren’t the only sporty types you’ll find! Its rocks are an ideal playground for climbers. Beginners and experts alike set off to conquer the natural blocks in the Apremont, Paradis and Iratis sectors. With over 27,000 routes, there’s something for everyone, all levels and all ages. Some sections marked in white are even suitable for children!

"I live about sixty kilometres from Fontainebleau Forest, which is a great playground for kids, and the rest of us, too! I love being outside, I took my children there when I was younger to walk and introduce them to climbing. I'm waiting for my grandson to be old enough to take him there, too!"
Corinne, a seasoned hiker and mushroom picker 🍄

🤔 What’s the most difficult hike in France?

Let's zoom out a little (a lot) and head to Corsica! You’ve probably already heard of the GR® 20, the long-distance hiking trail that crosses the Isle of Beauty from north to south. Between Calenzana and Conca, 16 stages mark out this legendary hike. It's considered the most difficult in France, with its 180 kilometres to cover and its cumulative height gain of around 12,000 metres. An intense sporting adventure, which offers hikers incredible panoramas, including the lakes of Nino, Capitellu and Melo, the Cascades des Anglais (waterfalls), Monte Cinto, Monte Incudine and the Spasimata footbridge. But to really enjoy it, you certainly can’t head off on this demanding hike without preparing for it!

You’re now ready to travel around Île-de-France to discover the wealth of its trails and beauty of its landscapes. Whether you’re a fan of peaceful hikes in the middle of the forest, routes that work up a sweat or pockets of nature in the middle of the city, you should find the one you’re looking for among our 10 routes! By the way, let's talk about your feet. Or rather, your boots! How do you look after them between hikes? Here, we'll give you all our tips on how to properly look after and re-waterproof them.

See more advice:

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Hiking in Ile-de-France: 10 routes for a nature break

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