Walking tours
There are many hiking trails in the Paris region. To find out about departmental associations, hiking programs, trails, etc., contact the Fédération française de randonnées pédestres (www.ffrandonnee.fr). To discover Paris, you can cross the capital from Porte Dauphine (Bois de Boulogne) to Porte Dorée (Bois de Vincennes). This 19 km route takes in Boulainvilliers, the Eiffel Tower, the Champ-de-Mars, Les Invalides, the Luxembourg Gardens and Palace, the Pantheon, Gare d'Austerlitz and Bercy. Another longer, but easy hike - you'll need 15 days to complete it in its entirety - is the GR11 (618 km) tour of the capital. It's easy to do just one stage, as the GR passes close to various railway stations. It passes through Senlis, Magny-en-Vexin, Chantilly, Lizy-sur-Ourq, Coulommiers, Provins, Montereau, Fontainebleau, Chevreuse, Mantes-la-Jolie and Senlis. All in all, the region offers a wealth of walking trails. Alternatively, the many greenways - such as the one that runs alongside or over the TGV Atlantique high-speed train line between Châtillon and Massy, which is located in a tunnel and is invisible because it is surrounded by high fences - are generally very well signposted. Note that the development of these tracks is proceeding apace.
Horseback riding
Horse-riding is possible in all departments of the Île-de-France region. The forests of Fontainebleau and Rambouillet are the most suitable, but it's not uncommon to meet riders in the Bois de Boulogne or the Bois de Vincennes. The www.randonnee-equestre.com website brings together equestrian tourism professionals who have signed up to the quality label and organize rides with qualified guides. Once on the site, go to the section dedicated to the region and all the information will be yours! And donkey rides are also available. Finally, stud farms are also particularly plentiful, and the further you go from the capital, the more you'll find!
Discover the area by bike
To get around Paris and the surrounding area, there are numerous cycle paths. The well-known Vélib' (www.velib.paris.fr) has been around for sixteen years now, and many of these bikes are electric. If you'd like to be accompanied, there are several possibilities, such as the Paris Bike Tour, which offers several guided bike tours of Paris (Paris en Seine, Paris Eternel and Paris dégustation). Tours, in small groups of 10 to 15 people, last around 3 hours and are accompanied by a guide-interpreter, in French and English. Finally, Pari Rando Vélo regularly organizes free rides through the streets of Paris. And the list goes on. The Fédération française de cyclotourisme (www.ffct.org) manages cycling throughout France, and lists all cycling events. Maps show the most important places to visit while cycling. Here are a few highlights: green corridors, such as the one that runs eastwards from Avenue Daumesnil in the 12th arrondissement. The quays of the Seine and Marne are also worth a visit. A word of caution: helmets are not compulsory, but highly recommended!
Swimming
Swimming pool, river or leisure center, the choice is vast. The region used to be considered unsuitable for river bathing, but sanitation efforts are changing all that. In Val-d'Oise, Cergy-Pontoise, around 30 km from Paris, is built around six ponds in the middle of greenery. On the Yvelines side, Val-de-Seine even boasts a marina and a fishermen's island. Boucles-de-Seine, 70 km from Paris, boasts a 120-hectare lake and numerous sports facilities, including an 18-hole golf course. Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines boasts the largest leisure park in the Paris region, with a swimming pool open in July and August.
In Seine-et-Marne, in the heart of the Fontainebleau forest, the Buthiers leisure park offers original activities such as astronomy and climbing, as well as a swimming pool. Between the Seine and the Fontainebleau forest, the Bois-le-Roi leisure park enjoys a well-preserved wooded setting. The Jablines-Annet leisure park is not far from Marne-la-Vallée and offers a lovely stretch of water. Vayires-Torcy has two lakes, one of which (Vaires) is on the banks of the Marne. In the Essonne department, at Draveil (20 km from Paris), the Port-aux-Cerises base is popular for its swimming area and its many facilities. Étampes, 45 km south of Paris, offers surfing in a swimming pool... In Val-de-Marne, the Créteil leisure center is in the city center, but offers a vast green setting around a body of water offering boating and swimming. In Paris, the only swimming pool on the Seine is the Josephine Baker pool in the 13th arrondissement. There are, however, dozens of other pools in the capital, both open-air and not. In the open air, a summer swimming area was created in 2017. It is renewed every year. The Holy Grail in this area, which has been promised for decades, is free swimming in the Seine: this possibility is announced for 2024!
Golf
With over seventy-five golf courses, Île-de-France is the leading region in France for this sport. These golf courses are often located next to prestigious sites or historic landmarks, making it possible to combine tourism and sport. Most are accessible to golfers of all levels. The most prestigious is Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche in the Yvelines, reserved exclusively for members and their guests. It's a truly exceptional landscape park, protected as part of the plaine du parc du Château de Versailles. But there are many other nuggets to be found in the valleys around Paris. So get your gear ready, and get swinging!
On ice
In Île-de-France, every département has at least one ice rink. Paris intra-muros has two ice rinks, at the Espace Sportif Pailleron in the 19th arrondissement, and the larger Bercy ice rink (or should we say the AccorHotels Arena), in the omnisports complex. On the other hand, at Christmas time, the town hall sets up ephemeral ice rinks. There's usually one on Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville (called "Paris sur glace", with free access from 9am to 10pm). But the most spectacular is probably the one temporarily installed on the roof of the Montparnasse Tower! There are several other structures in the vicinity, such as Aren'Ice, near Cergy-Pontoise.
Motor sports
Motorsports enthusiasts can have a great time on the Marcoussis circuit in Essonne, just a stone's throw from Montlhéry. On the program: karting, quad biking, 4x4 solo, duo or trio. They'll also appreciate the Jean-Pierre Beltoise circuit in Trappes, where you can not only drive go-karts, but also get a thrill at the wheel of one of the latest Ferraris or Porsches. In addition, there are more than twenty go-kart tracks for the general public in all départements. If you're in Paris and don't have a car, some of them can even be reached by metro or RER: take a good look through this guide!
Thermal baths
Enghien-les-Bains in the Val-d'Oise is the only spa in the Île-de-France region. In the 18th century, Louis Cotte, a young oratorian priest from Montmorency, discovered that the waters of a stream flowing into Lac d'Enghien were sulfurous and had the virtue of curing certain illnesses, such as ulcers. In 1800, the first spa was opened, attracting large numbers of curists. Today, the Barrière group, owner of the hotel, casino and thermal baths, has set up "Fitness and Wellbeing" programs and a whole range of commercial offers around its famous lake.
The Olympic rendezvous
Expected for 100 years in the capital, and after many failures, the city has landed the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to be held this summer 2024. While Paris may be a vast construction site as we close this guide, the city and its surroundings will be alive with the most sporting of activities during the summer period ahead. The legacy of this event, in terms of infrastructure, will encourage the practice of numerous disciplines.
