Directions:
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Start in front of the Monparnasse Railway Station, facing the
station. Go left on the sidewalk of the Avenue du Maine, and turn right into the first through street, Rue du Commandant René Mouchotte (bus-bicycle lane), which in two blocks reaches
the Place de Catalogne. At the far side,through an "archway"
in the building, take the wide pedestrian-bike path southeast on
Rue Vercingétorix . Follow the narrower bike-path south along the
street and then along the train tracks for 2 km. (As the bike
path crosses on a bridge over a road, you may wish to stop and observe
the TGV trains passing.)
After crossing over the Periphérique Highway, in the town of Malakoff,
the bike path temporarily ends. Rriding in
the street or, more enjoyablely walk or ride— I have seen riders here
— on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. If on the street, enter the hotel parking lot. At the end of the hotel
parking lot the bike path resumes, jogs right, follows by the
tracks. When the tracks begin curving left, the bike path ends at
a cross street . Turn right into this street, pass under
the tracks, (the return route to paris joins here; note that
you are between two rail bridges), and immediately turn
left into the bike path along the west side of the tracks. (If,
as of September 2002, this particular bike path was very bumpy due
to roots; the southbound side of the adjoining street is almost
without traffic and faster, so you may prefer to ride there.)
In one kilometer, at Avenue Pierre Brossolette, the road and
the bike path end. You now have two choices: The classic route
is to: cross this Avenue on foot or by bike, turn left into it,
cross under the tracks, and turn right immediately on Avenue Marx
Dormoy. At the next street, Avenue de la République, turn right
again (sign: D63 – Chatillon) heading southwest, passing under the
tracks again. Just after the traffic circle, at the Y, bear right
into Rue Semard. In two blocks, when the street becomes one-way
against you, bear left onto the cycle path (sign: Coulée Verte).
The newly signposted alternative takes more time and concentration,
but avoids all but two blocks of roadway. At the end of the bike
path turn right on Avenue Marx Dormoy/Avenue de Paris and ride two
blocks on the road (heavy traffic) or sidewalk (in the future possibly
only one block). Turn left (small sign: Coulee Verte). Turn right
in one block at the bike path sign, riding by residences on a narrow, curvy bicycle/walking
path. Eventually there is a section of hard-packed dirt. Keep following
signs, and you will cross Rue Semard, and continue as above.
In either case, after a short while the bike path dead ends at
a bridge; turn left, cross the bridge, and turn right on the resumption
of the path.
The Coulée Verte, or greenway, that you are now on lies over or
nearby the underground high-speed TGV train tracks. Despite the
presumably level tracks underneath, the bikeway itself is hilly
and curvy.
You will need a bit of skill to distinguish the bike path from
the pedestrian path, particularly at the beginning of the Coulée
Verte: Normally, it is the asphalt path. In 2002 the bike path
had new signs stating that it was a bike/pedestrian path, recognizing
the reality that pedestrians often chose to walk on it. Barriers
against motor traffic are initially frequent, and impair your speed.
Further south, they are fewer and the path is also straighter.
Two side trips are possible at the little crossroad, without a road sign, named “La
Grande Voie des Vignes.” Before reaching this crossroad, you
will (in order) have observed the Chateau of Sceaux in the distance
on your left (if the weather is clear and you are watchful), have
passed long buildings on the right, have observed that the park
has widened, have gone by a playground on your right, and then have
passed by a short railroad wall on your left. (If you come to the
underpass (or the exit to the right, the Avenue de la Division Leclerc — Return Route A,
you have gone too far.)
Side Trip 1: At this unsigned crossroad, if you turn left, to the east,
you ride 400 meters, downhill, to a traffic circle and the entrance
gate to the beautiful Sceaux** park, worth a visit. Toilets
are on the right, just in from the gate.
Side Trip 2: If you turn right, you
ride slightly uphill to the interesting church of St. Germain l’Auxerrois,
and to its north, village services. From the church, or from
the Coulée Verte exit at Avenue Leclerc, a circuit leads
back to Paris in about 16 kilometers : See Southwest
Return Route A.
To continue southwest, follow the Coulée Verte southwest under
the expressway. The path makes a U-turn to the right to climb up
a hill, before curving back to the south. Approximately 14 kilometers (8.4 mi)
from the Montparnasse railroad station and 3 km (1.8 mi)from Avenue Leclerc, the bike trail arrives
at the rotary (“rondpoint”) of the 19th Mars 1962 in
the town of Massy. It is the end of the Coulée Verte.
To return to Paris by RER B train, you may turn left, cross
under the tracks on the little street Rue d’Estion d’Orves, then
immediately turn right for the station of Massy-Verrières. You
may take your bike back into Paris on the RER B line if it is not
rush hour (6:30 – 9:00 AM or 4:30 – 7:30 PM). In Paris your easiest
exit points are Denfert Rochereau or the Gare du Nord.
You may bike back to Paris here by the enjoyable, but in part very
steep, Southwest Return Route B, in about
18 kilometers (11 mi). Another option is to return to Paris retracing your
route along the Coulée Verte.
You should probably not ride further southwest, unless 1)
you are starting a long distance trip; or 2) you want more exercise,
and you don’t mind riding in light to moderate traffic through the streets
of towns, and returning to Paris by bike, in part on dull bike lanes
nearby major highways on Return Route C, or by RER or by train. In evening rush hour, the author would not ride southwest from this point for any reason.
Continuation towards the Southwest:
To continue southwest, after the rotary of 19 Mars 1962, proceed along Avenue Des
Martyrs de Soweto (elevated tracks on your left) to a traffic circle,
then on Avenue Allende for two blocks (tracks still on your left),
and then turn left on Rue Raymond (D988, marked on the map
as D156) —tracks still on your left. You will pass by the
Massy-Palaiseau and Lozère train stations. There is a combination
grocery store/sandwich to go on your right, next to a bar/restaurant
with toilets (2 km from the end of the Coulée Verte).
Stay straight, following the sign for Palaiseau.You cross over/under
some tracks and a highway. Where a street joins from the north (Boulevard Diderot), bear right onto a one-way street
(Rue du Général Ferrié and then the Rue de Paris) that leads through the middle of the town of Palaiseau. After the
town (about 4.4 km — 2.6 mi from the end of the Coulée Verte) you rejoin the highway (D988) and ride through Villebon. As
the road is narrow, and the sidewalk is smooth and continuous, I
recommend you ride on the sidewalk. Stay on this route (Avenue du Général Leclerc, then Avenue du Général De Gaulle) for 3.6 kilometers.
Although it is possible to take a curvy bicycle path for a short distance through Orsay in the nearby woods, it is much faster to stay straight on the road, which divides and then is one way with you (Avenue de Saint-Laurent). In any event, in Orsay,
when you come to the major cross street of Avenue de Maréchal Foch, you must
chose whether to return to Paris by Southwest
Return Route C in about 25 kilometers — if so, turn right, ride down the hill, and cross the Yvette stream.
Or, if continuing southwest, turn left on Avenue Foch. Turn
right in two blocks (avoiding D988 traffic) past the Orsay station
(RER station for Paris), and continue along the rails for about 1 km where you rejoin D988, the Route de Chartres. At the first rotary, if you bear right, you will rapidly arrive at the RER station of Bures (the last RER station for
Paris on this route).
Whichever direction you are going, you may wish to stop at a nearby park with a small
lake. To go there, turn right at the Avenue
Foch intersection; at the bottom of the hill, just before the Yvette
stream bridge, turn left under the tracks. The park is on your right. To continue from the park southwest, ride left (south) up
the hill; the road passes under the tracks and rejoins the main
route, along the tracks. To return to Paris by Southwest Return
Route C, retrace your steps to the bridge over the Yvette, and turn left – north
— crossing the Yvette.)
Towards Orléans or Chartres
To leave the Paris metropolitan area, follow the Route de Chartres.
At the traffic circle, you must bear left, still on D988 (the Route
de Chartres) which now, with the first moderate traffic of the route,
goes up a steep, 3 km-long hill. In the village of Gometz-le-Chatel pass through the traffic circle at D35, and soon turn left onto highway D40-D131 (sign Janvry).
If you are going towards Rambouillet or Chartres, don't turn at this intersection; turn right at the next intersection, the Rue de Gometz. From here follow a route that you will have chosen using the IGN map mentioned at the beginning of this section or another map. The author has not ridden in this direction, but according to the topographic map he looked at, the route seems relatively flat and should be without much traffic.
To continue towards Orléans, after your left turn onto highway D40-D131, in 300 meters (0.2 mi) at the traffic circle, turn right on D131 towards
Chatnte-Coq and Briis-sur-Orges. There is still a bit of traffic,
but soon you will be on quiet roads. You cross the Autoroute and
the Atlantic TGV train line (that was under the Coulee Verte!). (You could of course stay on D988 until just after Limours-en-Hurepois, and take D838 left until Dourdan, for a faster but more traffic-filled trip.)
At the end of D131 near Le Marais, make a right turn onto D27 and follow it
for 5 km (3 mi) through le Val Germain until Saint-Cyr-sous-Dourdan..Turn left on D838, and climb moderately to Dourdan; or you may find it pleasant, as the
author did, to turn left before D838 at the tiny road for les Loges, to cross
the hill, and then follow D116 to the right into Dourdan*, 51 km
from the start.of this route. You may wish to spend the night and visit
the museum. RER C trains link Dourdan to Paris’ Austerlitz station
in one hour (and beyond). Eighteen kilometers southeast of Dourdan
is Étampes*, which has a main-line train
station. If desired, you could ride eastward towards Fontainbleau
(see Route 4). The author has ridden this route as far as Dourdan.
For Orleans (130 km from the start) one possible route from Dourdan follows
D5, D17, D118, D19 and D102 to arrive at the village of Gidy, whence
a road leads into central Orleans. A bicycle path crosses the Loire
River in Orleans, near the rail tracks, on the St. Jean bridge.)
Southwest Return Route
A – 16 kilometers, total circuit 26 kilometers
From the church St.-Germain L’Auxerrois (which is a few blocks
off the CouléeVerte — see above), follow Rue Lavoir
south one block, then turn right on Rue Des Vallées. Pick up the
bike path along Avenue de la Division Leclerc. (The bike path
on Avenue de la Division Leclerc can also be joined directly from
the Coulée Verte, by bearing right before the underpass that is just
south of the “Grand Voie Des Vignes” , and turning right at the street.)
At the end of the steeply uphill bike path (2.7 km from the church, 2.9 km from the Coulée Verte) at the double traffic circle
of the Carrefour du 11 Novembre, turn right join the bicycle path along Avenue
Langevin (sign: D2), and continue as indicated in the section Continuation
for All Return Routes.
Southwest Return Route
B – 18 kilometers, total circuit 32 kilometers
From the rotary (rond-point) of 19 Mars 1962, leave by the second
right (sign: Igny) onto the bike path along the Bièvre stream, heading
west. The bike path eventually crosses to the left side of the
road and runs beside two ponds. When you come to the opening
in the fence on your right, cross the road and enter the Rue de
Paris (sign: "Verrières-le-Buisson,
jumlée", etc.). Bear right at the
fork, riding uphill. At the traffic circle you must continue slightly to the right on the road named Rue d'Estienne d'Orves.
Pass by the one-way streets, Taking the first permissible left turn, and ride uphill to the end.
Turn left again, now heading back westward, on Rue de la
Boulie. At the next intersection, turn very sharply right on Rue
d’Amblainvillers, now heading northeastwards.
When you arrive at the first four-way intersection, turn left.The Rue Des Gatines climbs steeply uphill, bears left, and continues very steeply uphill,
into the forest. Stay left at the Y, then turn right in one block,
at the top, and follow the Route de Verrières à Antony, with jogs, northwest
to the Carrefour de l’Obelisque. Bear north on Route de Plessis
Picquet (the third exit from the rotary), and take the first right on the Route de la Mare-a-Chalot
(which loops over the highway), and then turn right again onto the Route
de Plessis Picquet (which was interrupted by the highway). When you arrive at the double traffic
circle at the Carrefour du 11 Novembre 1918 (8.4 km — 5 mi from the Coulée Verte), continue in the same direction. Thus you will need to cross three streets to arrive at the bicycle path on the east side of Avenue Langevin
(sign: D2). Follow the directions in the Continuation
for All Return Routes.
Southwest Return Route
C – 25 kilometers, total circuit 49 kilometers
Ride downhillon Avenue Foch, crossing the bridge over the Yvette
stream. Then ride steeply uphill in the town of La Guichet. Branch
right at the Y onto Rue Louise Weiss (perhaps breifly Rue Racine), then turn immediately left (the bike path
starts in one block). At the traffic circle, continue straight
across into the Rue de Versailles (sign: Saclay). The long, steep climb out of the Yvette
valley continues; a bike path (bike lane at times) re-starts in 100
meters. At the end of the bike lane, do not bear right into
the little road that goes under the highway, as it dead ends.
Continue riding steeply uphill on the main road (light traffic).
At the traffic circle, on top of the hill, take the bike path exit
(second possible exit, sign Saclay).
When the highway curves right, continue straight along a one-way lane to the north, until the traffic
circle « le Christ de Saclay », where you bike left around a parking lot and come to a pedestrian crossing. Turn right, enter the circle, and take the second exit (towards the east) riding into a parking lot between buildings.. The road
becomes one way against you, but at this point a bike path commences
on the left of the highway, which is named the Route de Bièvres
– N118.
Stay on the bike path until its end, then continue straight ahead
descending on Rue de Petit Bièvres into the village. At its end,
turn right, and climb east and north out of the village of Bièvres
on D533 until you reach the highway underpass on your right. Pass
under N118 here, turn left, and take the bicycle path north with
the highway on your left. Just before the carrefour (intersection)
at le Petit Clamart, there is a 200 meter stretch where the bicycle
path does not exist (nor is there a sidewalk), and one must ride
in traffic on the right lane of the busy highway. Fortunately, the traffic
is forced to slow down for an intersection. Pass under the superhighway ahead.
Towards your right, on the north side of the superhighway, is another
bicycle path towards Châtenay-Malabry (effectively a right turn
from the direction you were going). In one kilometer, you will
arrive at the double traffic circle of the Carrefour du 11 November 1918. Before the traffic circle cross the road in the pedestrian crossings northward, then after 50 meters cross the Avenue Langevin to the right in other pedestrian crossings. Follow
Avenue Langevin (sign: D2) north, using the directions in the Continuation
for All Return Routes.
Continuation
for All Return Routes
Follow Avenue Langevin (sign:D2) north on the bike path. Cross under
D906. The bike path eventually turns left into the Clamart Forest.
Turn immediately right onto the a road, the Route Carré
aux Pièges. Pass by a dirt route, then bear right onto the Route de la Justice, and at the rotary turn right again
onto the Route de la Mare. The forest route emerges at the Place
du Garde. In the same direction, now on Rue Roosevelt (henceforth
light traffic), ride one block to the traffic circle, then continue
in the same direction (using the second exit) on Rue Des Rochers.
As you enjoy the lengthy down hill ride, keep straight ahead, as
this street becomes successively, Rue du Moulin, Rue Pierre, Rue
Gambetta and Rue Jaurès. You arrive at the train station in Clamart.
Turn right on rue Hébert, then immediately
turn left, and follow this street to the tracks, where, along the
tracks, heading northeastward,it becomes Boulevard de Stalingrad.
After a few cross-streets, this veers to the right, and comes to a large traffic
circle. Turn left here on Rue Avaulée, paralleling the tracks,
but several blocks away from them. At the end of this street, turn left,
and ride back to the tracks on Rue Paul Vaillant. Turn right on
Avenue Ablada, and ride two blocks, one cobblestone, one pavement.
At this point you are between two railroad bridges; you were
here before! Pass under the bridge on the right, and turn left.
You are on the bike path leading along the tracks to the Monparnasse
railway station! Follow this back to your starting point.
(The author thanks to Matthew Belmonte for sending in info regarding this itinerary. A route description - including photos - of Belmonte's trip from Paris to Nantes in the western Loire Valley, beginning with this itinerary, can be found at : http://www.mattababy.org/~belmonte/Home/Bicycle/Loire/.)
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