Number 23 in the book of local hikes, taking in four villages, Ville Saint-Jacques, Dormelles, Flagy and Noisy-Rudignon, in a 16-kilometre loop through fields and woodland. The walking was easy, the mosquitoes were vicious in the woods, the poppies in the wheat-fields were in full bloom and it was a great way to spend… Continue reading Four villages of the Seine-et-Marne
Author: myfootsteps12
Sorques and Montigny-sur-Loing
A 14-km hike on a sunny afternoon in May, starting from the Sorques nature reserve car park. This trail follows the edge of the reserve along the banks of the Loing, past some beautiful meadows, before heading into the woods to lead uphill and across the main road and the railway line. It then reaches Montigny-sur-Loing… Continue reading Sorques and Montigny-sur-Loing
Who was Claude-François Denecourt?
In this blog, when writing about my hikes in the Fontainebleau Forest, the name Denecourt crops up frequently. But who was Denecourt? Claude-François Denecourt (1788-1875) was a geographer and a veteran of Napoleon’s army who was named caretaker of a barracks in Fontainebleau in 1832 before being dismissed for his republican ideas. He subsequently devoted… Continue reading Who was Claude-François Denecourt?
Berlin’s Tiergarten
This post is unusual in that it concerns a city hike. I have attended the Berlin Film Festival every year since 2013, partly for professional reasons and partly as it’s the only time of year when I finally get to see films on the big screen. Moreover, I have a soft spot for Berlin, a… Continue reading Berlin’s Tiergarten
Banks of the Seine and Denecourt trail 13
On Sunday May 17th, after an early-morning visit to the market in Fontainebleau to stock up on veggies and fruit, followed by a picnic breakfast of croissants and good coffee on the banks of the Seine opposite the (sadly closed) kayak club, we set off for a hike that took us along the river, past… Continue reading Banks of the Seine and Denecourt trail 13
Short hike between Episy and Montigny-sur-Loing
We set off today for a hike in the Fontainebleau Forest but, on this first Saturday since the end of the lockdown in France, every parking area that we tried was packed so instead we opted for a walk along the canal and, using IGN maps, found a way to turn it into a loop… Continue reading Short hike between Episy and Montigny-sur-Loing
We walked out of the door and then came back
A 15 km hike taking in three villages (Ecuelles, Villecerf and Montarlot) and a lot of fields, partly on the GR 11, partly on the local hiking paths. A nice loop from home that is feasible in all weather conditions and at every time of the year (except the hunting season as a lot of… Continue reading We walked out of the door and then came back
Costa Brava – Day 12
On the final day, the trail took me from Banyuls to Collioure, the last 18 kilometres, with 750 metres of ascents once again. It was another sunny, hot day and it was pretty tough terrain at times, but the arrival in Collioure made up for any minor discomfort along the way. Breakfast at the hotel… Continue reading Costa Brava – Day 12
Costa Brava – Day 11
The 11th and penultimate day was a fairly tough 17-km hike along the coast from Portbou to Banyuls in France, with another 750 metres of ascents. The paths were stony and some of the climbs pretty steep but the scenery was spectacular once again. Breakfast at the hotel already had a hint of France –… Continue reading Costa Brava – Day 11
Costa Brava – Day 10
Day 10 of the trail was a 20-km hike with 550 m of ascents from El Port de la Selva to Portbou, the last stop on the Spanish side of the border. The morning was mostly easy walking on trails along the sea past some very pretty beaches and inlets, occasionally on boardwalks. The afternoon… Continue reading Costa Brava – Day 10
Footsteps 