Louis Braille was born in Coupvray in 1809, and the house where he lived is now a small museum, a short ride from this point.
After a day in the Fontainebleau forest and along the Loing, it makes a quiet end. The roads near the river are flat and gentle, with long views over fields and a surface in good condition. Traffic is moderate, though weekends and holiday evenings bring heavy flows towards the theme park, so it is better to avoid the main routes and use the lanes along the Marne. The towpath by the river is popular with walkers and cyclists, and the villages along the bank have small quays and old houses.
Coupvray's church holds the grave of the man who invented the six-dot reading system, and the small village around it has changed little since his time. The Marne valley was once the scene of fierce fighting in the First World War, and the battle of the Marne in 1914, which halted the German advance on Paris, was fought not far to the east. Memorials and cemeteries are scattered along the roads.
Esbly has a railway station with direct trains to Paris Gare de l'Est, and a small centre with shops, a baker and cafes. Fuel is available in town, and a larger shopping area is closer to Marne-la-Vallée. The riverside is a good spot for a rest, with shade and benches, and in summer fishermen sit on the bank.
As the final point of a long forest loop, it is a calm place for the day to end, and well suited to a slow walk by the water.