The Only "Mountain Pass" in Île-de-France: Col du Manet (18 km)

Hello everyone!

Join us for a scenic journey through the heart of the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse, starting with a short warm-up walk from Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse into the charming medieval town of Chevreuse, and finishing at the Trappes train station. We will wander along the "Little Venice" of the Yvelines, crossing the iconic small stone bridges and historic wash-houses that line the Yvette river before climbing toward the ancient ramparts of the Château de la Madeleine for a panoramic view of the valley. Our route follows the historic Jean Racine trail into the peaceful grounds of the Port-Royal-des-Champs abbey ruins, offering a perfect blend of history and nature.

A unique highlight of this trip is passing through the Col du Manet, which is famously known as the only "mountain pass" in the Île-de-France region. Throughout the day, we will be immersed in lush woodlands, open meadows, and quiet country plateaus, making for a refreshing escape into the French countryside.

Our trail is here: https://mapy.com/s/huvovosepo

📍Meeting Point
Saturday, March 14, at 11:00
Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse Train Station – in front of the train station
To get there, you can take RER B from Châtelet - Les Halles at 10:08, arriving at Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse at 10:57 (try to catch this train, please).

🎯Ending Point
We will finish at Trappes Train Station. From there, we take train line N at 16:46 arriving in Montparnasse - Bienvenüe at 17:26.

📏Hike Details

• Distance: ~18 km
• Elevation gain: +200 m
• Duration: ~5-6h (including stops)
• Difficulty: Easy towards Moderate (you need to be comfortable to walk 10-15 km in your day to day activities)
• Lunch: We’ll stop for snacks in the forest, so please bring your own food and water.
• Language: English – ideal for expats and anglophones living in or visiting Paris.

You are responsible for your own actions — please ensure you feel comfortable with the distance, and you act responsibly.

🎒What to Bring

• Small backpack
• 1L of water
• Lunch/snacks
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Rain jacket or umbrella

⭐Participation
€10 per person, cash or via Revolut/Lydia at the end of the hike.

See you there,
Mihai.