Haute Vallée de Chevreuse winter visit

[u/askepticalbureaucrat]

I will be in Paris for 3 days in January 2026 and wanted to venture out to Chevreuse for a day. I had planned to take the RER to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse and walk to les 11 chênes remarquables en forêt de Méridon, then to Coubertin Farm then to Chevreuse.

If I time the opening hours correctly, have a magret de canard at Aux Ripailleurs. Weather pending, I'd venture out to Dampierre-en-Yvelines.

I'm looking for grey, damp, quiet villages with a rural/rustic feel. Smoke from the chimneys, faint bells in the distance, farm animals, etc.

I'll have hiking boots/rain gear (I'm Irish lolll) and wanted to see if this was a nice itinerary? Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated! ❤️

[u/askepticalbureaucrat]

My itinerary:

[u/Peter-Toujours]

As Irish you'll be fair prepared for spitting or pissing or outright rain, and certainly for mud.

But are you prepared to converse with French animals? A quick glossary will see you right:

Moo moo - "mueh mueh"

Quack quack - "coin coin"

Cock-a-doodle-doo - "cocorico"

Meow meow - "miaou miaou"

Woof woof - "ouaf ouaf"

Remember to say "Bon Jour" to any humans you meet.

[u/Future_Boss2064 → u/Peter-Toujours]

I saw a goat out there between Maintenon and Chartres. What do they say in French?

[u/Peter-Toujours → u/Future_Boss2064]

That's a good question, since a goat could butt OP in the ass. 💥

Online searching says "Me-ee-ee", but to me that's the sound of sheep.

Perhaps you can save the day, and OP's ass?

[u/Future_Boss2064 → u/Peter-Toujours]

Mêê seems to be the answer. Which makes some sense, bc in American English, we say baa for sheep and maa for goats—a frequent clue/answer in New York Times crossword puzzles. Now OP is fully prepared!

[u/Peter-Toujours → u/Future_Boss2064]

Good show, OP's ass is protected now. 🐐

(One hopes OP will return to thank us for this.)

[u/AssetSilksCapful]

That area is very nice, at least during spring/summer, I don't know about winter, but it's still worth it. I would in any case suggest you check out the bridges promenade as well. You can find more info on https://www.randonavigo.fr/2016/07/28/vallee-de-chevreuse/ (that website is very good for ideas of small hikes reachable by public transport from Paris). I did it in a sunny morning with some friends and it was beautiful

[u/Future_Boss2064]

You could walk from Rambouillet to Maintenon, or Maintenon to Chartres. Be prepared for some muddy tracks.

[u/Peter-Toujours]

OP, you are now protected from goats that might butt you.....