One year after our experience riding from Yvette to Orge, we decided to take on the next step in our expedition alongside the river Yvette. This time, we were headed to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse! With our helmets firmly attached, water and a picnic in the backpack and a great big smile on our faces, we got back on our bikes!
Ella's experience
Director of the Paris Saclay Destination Tourist Office
"It's always a pleasure cycling alongside the river Yvette"
“I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike” (you'll have that song in your head all day now, no need to thank me!)
Whenever someone mentions a bike ride, I automatically have the song 'Bicycle Race' by Queen in my head.
But the difference here is that this is most definitely not a race! Today, it was just Damien and I on our own adventure!
It started off well, we rode alongside the river Yvette in complete safety on the cycle path. We passed under the N118 bridge and admired the street art covering the walls there. We arrived at the Lac du Mail with no difficulty. We rode past joggers and childminders with young children on a morning walk. It was so quiet. The only noise we could hear was the sound of our bikes on the gravel.
When we got as far as the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental Paris-Saclay, we then followed a cycle path alongside the river.
To reach Bures-sur-Yvette, there's no better way than via the Université Paris-Saclay.
We rode alongside the water and saw a duck with its ducklings. It was still very early in the morning but there were already a lot of walkers out enjoying the cool temperatures which wouldn't last for much longer. The sound of the birds singing was soothing. It was a very pleasant ride, through Launay botanical gardens.
After a brief ride down the streets and passageways of Bures-sur-Yvette, we reached our first reservoir, Bures-Gif. The purpose of this place is to retain water from the river Yvette in the event of heavy rain. The reservoir was dry due to the hot weather, but hiding in the meadow, we caught a glimpse of the famous heron, Gaston.
We were riding quite fast. We didn't find this route difficult at all in fact because it is completely flat, and we were not slowed down by any traffic as we were following only cycle paths.
When we arrived in Gif-sur-Yvette, we were greeted by the wonderful scents coming from the indoor market. We couldn’t resist going in to take a look. Once again, we were impressed by this charming town in Chevreuse Valley. We rode past the sports complex where young tennis fans were out on the courts practicing to become the next Novak Djokovic.
We clocked up the kilometres but never lost our motivation. Very quickly we arrived at the Coupières reservoir and looked out for the Maison de l’Utopie.
We didn't need to search for long because our route actually led us past this unusual building! It was built at the end of the 1970s by architect and designer Marc Held and it certainly catches the eye. This house is built on stilts and from stainless steel, so it is a complete contrast with its surroundings!
Soon after, we arrived at Jaumeron meadow, a beautiful area of greenery where families love to come and spend some quality time together. We agreed to stop here for a short break and recharge our batteries for the last kilometres. There were some children having fun jumping into Fonds stream that flows through the park.
We got back on our bikes to ride to our final destination.To get there, we needed to go back onto the cycle path that runs alongside the railway tracks. An uphill section made our legs burn and got our heart pumping but we still had some energy left. We rode past Courcelles station before taking the Chemin de Vaugien. We went past the Château de Vaugien and then along Rue Ditte until we arrived at our destination: Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse train station.
We can conclude that this route is accessible to all and perfect for families with children, as most of the route is car-free, on cycle paths. I will definitely be coming back here with my own children. If you're not the sporty type, don't worry, this route is completely flat (except a section to reach Courcelles station). If you are feeling tired, you can take the RER on the way back.
