Run in the Chevreuse Valley – Bures-sur-Yvette trails

At first glance, the Île-de-France region is associated with Paris and urban landscapes. However, nature is still very much present. As such, trail running is becoming increasingly popular among people who live in the area. Emblematic races, such as the EcoTrail or the Impérial Trail, now take place here. For serious training, runners go to the 25 moguls circuit in the Fontainebleau forest or to the trails of Bures-sur-Yvette in the Chevreuse Valley.

In this Collection, I introduce the latter. There are seven courses, ranging from 7 to 32 kilometres (4 to 20 mi), that start from the base of the trail station. While they are obviously far from the mountains, the routes are rolling in character, so you’ll accumulate more than 2,000 metres (6,560 ft) of elevation gain.

On the different routes, you discover the surrounding forests, such as those of Bures-sur-Yvette, Gif-sur-Yvette, Méridon or Port-Royal. You’ll be guided by beautiful watercourses, notably the Yvette, but also the Mérantaise or the Châteaufort stream. Your steps will guide you to magnificent architecture, such as the Madeleine castle and the Fauvettes viaduct. It’s not all about getting the training in, there’s plenty to see here too.

The routes are marked out from one to seven, which corresponds to the Tours in this Collection. Only the eighth one, the Christmas trail, is not marked. This is an annual run from the trail station and you can practise the route ahead of the event.

The base provides showers and changing rooms from 8 am to 8 pm every day of the year, except on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. By train, the Bures-sur-Yvette station is only 500 metres (1,640 ft) away and there’s also a car park. You access the trails from Paris by the RER B or stay a few days in the town to explore the Chevreuse Valley.

The good thing about the Ile-de-France is that it’s possible to practise running all year round. However, beware of muddy terrain in winter or after periods of heavy rain, when you’ll want trail shoes with aggressive lugs. In the summer, the trails are protected from the worst of the heat by their wooded canopy.

For runs of less than around 10 kilometres (6 mi), you shouldn’t need to bring water or food. But for the longer runs, it’s worth wearing a hydration pack with flasks and gels or energy bars.

I wish you a lot of fun on the trails of Bures-sur-Yvette and its surroundings. If the Chevreuse Valley has been classified as a natural park, it's because it has many treasures. It's up to you to discover them while running.