Ferme de Blin - Druyes Valley

Departure is from the château car park (la Ville).

(D/A) Take the street leading to the château, passing under the Porte de la Ville gate. Pass to the right of the château and walk down the path which leads to a small lane. Continue downhill until you reach Place Jean Bertin. Turn left, then right to cross the bridge over the River Druyes. Follow the road as far as the church.

(1) Immediately before the town hall, turn right onto the footpath (Chemin des Sources).

(2) After passing a guinguette on your left, take the path leading upwards through a green area. Take the time to look out over the lake. Halfway up the hill, turn left onto the first path.

(3) When you reach an old railway line, turn left, go over the viaduct and enjoy the views from both sides. At the end of this stretch, cross the D104 road. This new tarmac road soon ends in a track that runs around the left-hand side of the football pitch to reach the D148.

(4) Go straight on down the track.

(5) At the point where the boundary hedges end, turn left into a hairpin bend. Climb the steep slope to reach a wide, level track. Take this on the right and you will come to Blin farm.

(6) Turn left between the remains of the old bridge, leaving the spring, fountain and pool on your left, and continue to the right. Turn left at the crossroads of 4 paths, level with a house. Cross the river over the bridge onto the D73. Turn right for 150m and take the left-hand path. Follow this road, leaving the side tracks, until you reach the next junction with a tarmac road.

(7) At this crossroads, bayonet left/right to follow signs for Fontenailles. Leave Rue des Roussiottes on your left and continue along Rue des Grandes Chenevières. At the crow's feet, turn left twice in quick succession until you reach the pond on your left.

(8) Head north-west along Rue des Railly. It ends in a track. Enter the undergrowth and follow it down into the Morin Valley.

(9) Turn left, leaving the first track on the right and go up the wide path at the edge of a wooded area. Leave this wood and continue until you reach a double junction of 6 roads and paths.

(10) Keep your wits about you as you take the third road on the right for almost a kilometre.

(11) Go straight over the crossroads towards the semi-underground reservoir. When you reach the D104, turn left, then 50m further on, take the dirt track on the right which leads to the car park (D/A).