Trail Auffargis

And what if we told you that the forest might not be as far away as you think? It’s in the Rambouillet forest 🌲, in the Yvelines, that the Trail Auffargis takes place every year. As you’d expect, this trail starting from the town of Auffargis, between Versailles and Rambouillet in the Île-de-France region, will be very wooded. Indeed, it runs through the Parc Régional de la Haute Vallée de Chevreuse. In the middle of March, the weather will be rather cool and a few rays of sunshine might filter through the woods you’ll traverse. ☀️

Regarding the course, choosing between all distances is going to be tricky. Without further ado, here are your options: you’ll be able to choose between the trail of 26 km (and 700 mD+) or the trail of 46 km (and 1200 mD+). In the end, the forest isn’t as flat as you think! 😬

The woods 🌳 you’ll pass through, such as the Vindrins or the Cinq-Cent Arpents, will offer you some technical climbs and descents that may feel endless. A few charming villages will also be part of the route, like Saint-Forget, Dompierre or Auffargis. Take a moment in these “zen” sections to recharge, but keep your eyes open 👀 once you’re back in the forest to avoid tripping on roots! 🤕

Among the oak trees and beech trees, you might be lucky enough to spot the animals 🐗 roaming the woods and forests, whether roe deer, rabbits, does, or stags. But remember, we’re not the forest’s best friends, so stay focused on your course since it stays very technical. 🤨

To switch things up from the trees, your route will take you near the ponds of Cernay and the Abbey, from which some cascades emerge as well as the various canyons you’ll encounter along the way. Rest assured, these are very different from the Grand Canyon, Antelope and Bryce Canyon 😉. You’ll also follow the Yvette stream (no, we’re not talking about the village grandma! 🤣).

Who knows, at the end of the route you might have time to collect a few leaves to complete your Herbarium thanks to the Trail d’Auffargis !

Now that you’ve finished your sporting challenge, we’ll let you rest. However, if you’d like to learn more about the department, we recommend visiting the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, the town of Rambouillet or the Palace and Park of Versailles. Do you prefer local cuisine to sightseeing? If so, we suggest grabbing a comforting onion soup followed by a slice of Coulommiers.

Bambi is waiting for you, so go for this trail! 🦌