Fontainebleau Forest and Loing Sweep

A 420 km loop

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Why this ride

A rider’s loop: clean exit, memorable middle, calm return. A 420 km loop that starts and ends near Esbly, about 8 h 44 of riding. On the way it passes Bresles, near Gisors, near Ablis and Verrières-le-Buisson. The climb of the day is near Vaux-le-Pénil.

Roadbook

1. Fuel stop near Esbly fuel

   Fuel at 0 km.

2. Near Bresles, on the way back swim

   North of Paris, in the Oise, the land flattens into the great chalk plateau of Picardy, all wheat, sugar beet and sky, and Bresles sits on its edge where the small valley of the Thérain drops away towards Beauvais. It is a town of about four thousand people with a solid stone château that once belonged to the bishops of Beauvais, who used it as a country residence and, in the troubled centuries, as a stronghold.

   Honesty first, about the swimming. This is not a land of lakes and beaches. What it has instead is water of a quieter kind: the marshes of Bresles, a protected wetland of reed beds, ponds and old peat diggings just outside the town, full of birds in spring, and the gravel-pit ponds of the Thérain valley, some of which are managed for fishing or leisure. Swimming is only allowed where it is signposted, so treat this more as a place to sit by water, cool down and watch the dragonflies than as a plunge.

   The riding is open-country riding. Roads cross the plateau in long straight lines between villages, then tip down into the valleys in short bends through beech woods, and the contrast is pleasant. Wind is the real factor: there is nothing to stop it, and on a gusty day the crosswinds across the fields will push you around. Watch for tractors and mud on the road during the beet harvest in autumn, when the lanes can be slick. Summer evenings, with long light over ripe wheat, are the best of it.

   Beauvais, about fifteen kilometres away, is worth a detour if time allows. Its cathedral has the tallest Gothic choir ever built, a soaring, unfinished structure whose vaults collapsed in the thirteenth century and were rebuilt with extra supports, and inside is an astronomical clock of remarkable complexity. The town was badly damaged in 1940 but the cathedral survived.

   For practical needs, Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, about eleven kilometres away, is the nearest town of over five thousand, with supermarkets and fuel, and Bresles itself has a bakery and small shops. From here the run back towards Paris is quick on the main roads, so it is a good place to stop, drink something cold and let the plateau wind dry you off before the traffic begins.

3. Food stop near Gisors food

   Gisors is a Norman town that stands guard on the border with the Île-de-France. It lies on the Epte, the old border river, and its great castle, a motte-and-bailey fortress with a tall octagonal keep, was built by the Normans in the late eleventh century and strengthened by the kings of England, before it fell to the French king Philip Augustus in the twelfth. It was one of the key strongholds on the frontier, and the walls and keep still dominate the town. A local legend says that the Knights Templar hid treasure in the castle, and it has kept treasure hunters busy for generations, though nothing has been found.

   The church of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais, a large, richly decorated building that mixes Gothic and Renaissance styles, stands in the centre, and its richly carved facade is among the finest in the region. The town has about twelve thousand people, a market, a handful of restaurants and a pleasant, slightly sleepy feel. In the nearby village of Neaufles-Saint-Martin, the ruin of a huge round tower stands on a mound above the houses.

   As a return gate, Gisors is practical: it has fuel, supermarkets and a railway station, and the road to Paris is clear. The route home follows the valley of the Epte and the plateau of the Vexin, a quiet, open landscape with a good surface and light traffic. The air smells of hay and warm stone in summer, and woodsmoke in autumn.

   The riding in this region is relaxed and unhurried, with long views and not much to disturb you. The Lyons Forest, to the north, is among the finest beech forests in France, and the cliffs of the Seine, to the south, are a dramatic sight, which makes this a good place to turn for home with a sense of a day well spent.

   A word of caution: fuel stations in the smaller villages can be few, so take advantage of Gisors before heading south. The temperature here can be several degrees colder than Paris in winter, and fog is common in the valleys.

4. Photo stop near Ablis photo

   Ablis lies right where the forest of Rambouillet gives way to the Beauce, and the change is almost theatrical. Ride south out of the trees and the land flattens into an immense, open plain of wheat, barley and rapeseed that runs to the horizon in every direction, the granary of France. On a clear day you can sometimes make out the spires of Chartres Cathedral far to the south-west, rising out of the fields like a ship on the sea, the way pilgrims saw them for centuries.

   The village itself is small and practical, close to the junction of the A10 and A11 motorways. There is a church, a few shops and services, and a sense of being on the edge of two very different landscapes. The writer Charles Péguy made the pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres across the Beauce in the early twentieth century, and his poems about the walk across the endless plain are still read by the many pilgrims who follow the route today.

   The riding here is about wide horizons. South of Ablis, the roads run straight across the plain, with gentle curves and long sightlines. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light on the minor roads. Wind can be a factor on the open plain. To the north, the roads through the forest of Rambouillet are shady and winding, with oak and beech woods and the chance of meeting deer.

   As a photo stop, the view across the Beauce is the highlight, especially in early summer, when the fields are green or golden. Fuel and food are available in Ablis and nearby towns.

5. Verrières-le-Buisson finish

   Verrières-le-Buisson is one of the greener towns on the southern edge of Paris, a residential place wrapped around a large wood, the Bois de Verrières, that runs along a ridge above the Bièvre valley. Antony and Châtenay-Malabry are next door, but the trees give the town a feeling of space that is rare this close to the capital.

   The name is linked to a famous family of plant breeders. The Vilmorins, whose seed company became one of the most important in the world, had their estate here, and their arboretum, planted over generations, still contains rare and old trees. Louise de Vilmorin, writer and socialite, was born in the family house. In Châtenay-Malabry, the Vallée-aux-Loups was the home of Chateaubriand, who planted many of the trees in the park himself.

   The Bois de Verrières is a mixed forest of oak, chestnut and beech, crossed by paths and a few roads. It is a pleasant place to walk, and in autumn the colours are rich and warm. The Bièvre valley below has been heavily built over, but the river has been reopened in places, and green corridors follow its course.

   Coming back from Fontainebleau, you ride through the southern suburbs, with plenty of traffic, roundabouts and speed cameras. The N118 and A86 are close, and the roads into Verrières are narrow and winding, with speed bumps and parked cars.

   My advice is to stop at the edge of the wood before the final stretch home. Ten minutes under the chestnuts does more for a tired back than any coffee. Fuel sits along the main roads, and the town centre has bakeries for a last sugar fix.

6. High point near Vaux-le-Pénil pass

   Vaux-le-Pénil sits on the high ground above the Seine, just east of Melun, in the Seine-et-Marne department. From the edge of the plateau, you can look down on the river as it winds through its valley, with Melun on its island and the forest of Fontainebleau stretching away to the south.

   The town has a château, rebuilt in the eighteenth century, and a few old streets, but it is mostly residential, part of the Melun urban area. The plateau around it is part of the Brie, the flat, fertile region east of Paris famous for its cheese. Brie de Melun, stronger and saltier than its better-known cousin, Brie de Meaux, is made in the area.

   As a high point, the edge of the plateau above the Seine offers views over the valley and the forest. The roads down to the river are short and winding, and the routes across the plateau are open and fast. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic can be heavy around Melun, but quieter on the minor roads.

   The forest of Fontainebleau, just to the south, is one of the most beautiful forests in France, with oak, beech and pine woods, sandstone boulders and gorges. Its roads are long and straight or gently curving, and they are a pleasure to ride, though weekend traffic and speed limits require care. Fuel and food are available in Vaux-le-Pénil and Melun.

7. Scenic stretch near Melun scenic

   On the night of 17 August 1661, Nicolas Fouquet, the superintendent of finances, threw a party at his new château of Vaux-le-Vicomte, a few kilometres north-east of Melun, for the young Louis XIV. There were fireworks, a new comedy by Molière, music by Lully and a banquet served on gold plate. Three weeks later, Fouquet was arrested by d'Artagnan of the musketeers, and he spent the rest of his life in prison. Louis took his architect, painter and garden designer, Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, and set them to work on Versailles.

   Vaux-le-Vicomte still stands, one of the most perfect châteaux in France, with formal gardens that stretch far into the distance. It is an essential stop if you have the time, and the candlelit evenings in summer are magical.

   Melun itself is an old town on the Seine, with its historic heart on an island in the river, a Romanesque church and a pleasant riverside. It is the capital of the Seine-et-Marne department and a busy place, with plenty of services.

   The riding around Melun is varied. The roads along the Seine are scenic, the routes across the Brie plateau are open and fast, and the forest of Fontainebleau, just to the south, offers long, shady roads through the woods. Traffic can be heavy around Melun, especially at commuting times. As a finish, Melun offers fuel, food and a chance to reflect on a day in the forests and valleys south of Paris.

8. Back to Fontainebleau finish

   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.

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