Melun / Fontainebleau

This stage offers a symphony of blues and greens, as you ride between the Seine and the vast Fontainebleau Forest. Cycling between these waters and woods proves a treat for the eyes, and for the lungs, as you breathe in the clean air. The Bois-le-Roi outdoor leisure centre provides an ideal spot at which to unwind a while. A bit further on, Samois-sur-Seine is one of the most beautiful villages in the Ile-de-France Region, a joy to behold… and, should you pass through in June during the Django Reinhardt Festival, a thrill for the ears. The royal town of Fontainebleau counts as a great spot for a stopover; leaving the next morning you’ll feel you’ve topped up your red blood cell count the previous day!

The route

Along the Seine’s west bank, alternating between cycle paths and cycle lanes, with stretches on minor roads at times. Take care at Bois-le-Roi, at the level of the bridge over the Seine on the D115 road. Signposted EV3.
Surfacing smooth: concrete and asphalt.

Link 
Cycling link towards Fontainebleau from Valvins Bridge

Trains

• Crossrail RER D station + Transilien train station at Melun
• Transilien train station at Bois-le-Roi
• Transilien Avon – Fontainebleau train station

Don't miss

• Melun : the historic centre; the Ile St-Etienne and Seine quays; the Maison Natale de Jacques Amyot (recalling the 16th-century humanist born here); the Bouquinistes de Melun (book-sellers’ booths by the Seine); Seine cruises from June to September, Musée de la gendarmerie nationale
• Bois-le-Roi : base de loisirs régionale de Bois-le-Roi (the Ile de Loisirs outdoor leisure centre), with bathing possible in a natural lake
• Samois-sur-Seine : in June, the Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival; the villas, rustic centre and islands on the Seine
• Vulaines-sur-Seine : Musée départemental Stéphane Mallarmé (on the great French symbolist poet)
• Fontainebleau : château et parc, the grand château and grounds; the historic town centre