Seek out the green roads

Leave Paris on the N-3, heading northeast, go through Meaux (where the lovely Brie de Meaux is produced) to the town of La Ferte sous Jouarre. From there, look for the network of little green-marked roads. Park your car on a wide spot in a quiet hamlet, and enjoy a country walk.

You know how your roadmap marks pretty roads with green? Well, so far, in France, all green roads are worth following. We approve.

France is also riddled, positively riddled, with hiking trails -- known as 'randonees', which are conveniently marked with discreet paint blazes - red, blue, yellow, white -- and elaborately documented on specialized maps and books which give incredible detail about the walk, and the surrounding area. These walks often send you into woods, then deposit you out on a little quiet road, send you through a village, then back to the countryside.

Layers and layers of roads, trails, villages, forests, history.

Senlis, one more beautiful village

The village of Senlis (you pronounce the 's' at the end), is about an hour north of Paris. Its a lovely spot for an afternoon of wandering through the ancient village, which still has remains of the Roman ramparts from the 3rd century, and medieval winding streets. Its cathedrale is also striking.

Autumnal Hiking

In the Forest which surrounds the Chateau de Fontainbleau, exists some of the most interesting hiking in the Ile de France area. Paris is located at the heart of Ile de France.

The forest contains hills, interesting rock formations, gorges, coniferous and deciduous trees, and of course in autumn, des champignons (mushrooms). The example above (dunno if its edible or not), was about 12 inches tall!!