A cycling weekend along the Véloscénie from Paris to Chartres

Link two of France's most iconic monuments by starting your day at the foot of the majestic Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and ending it in front of the golden gates of the elegant Château de Versailles. Once you've crossed Saint-Germain-des-Prés and cycled up Rue de Rennes to Montparnasse, it’s an easy ride out of the capital. Follow the greenway as far as Massy, and don't forget to stop off at the Domaine de Sceaux. Then continue your route through small towns. You almost forget how close you are to Paris! One more effort to climb up to Versailles, but you'll soon be rewarded with a royal finish under the plane trees, right up to the gates of the palace!

Leave Versailles and head for a second royal residence: the Château de Rambouillet. Follow the signposted route, which alternates between cycle paths and small roads with little traffic, before beginning the descent into the state-owned forest of Port-Royal, formerly a royal hunting ground. Enjoy the countryside around Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuses, and make sure you stop off with the whole family at the Coubertin farm or the Château de Breteuil. Young and old alike can also watch animals at Espace Rambouillet, in the heart of the forest, which is directly accessible by bike. Your journey ends at the entrance to the Parc de Rambouillet, a superb estate surrounding the château and its outbuildings.

Leave Rambouillet by cycling through the superb château grounds before continuing your route through the peaceful Guéville valley. The Petite Cité de Caractère (Little Town of Character) of Epernon welcomes you for a stopover, at the entrance to the Eure-et-Loire département. Take the country roads to the banks of the Eure, which you can follow all the way to Maintenon. Allow time to visit the château and flats of Françoise d'Aubigné, secret wife of Louis XIV, better known as Madame de Maintenon, before leaving the town under the impressive aqueduct commissioned by the Sun King. You'll soon find yourself back on the banks of the Eure, which will guide you to the foot of Chartres Cathedral, offering a breathtaking view of its imposing towers. Enjoy this bucolic stage, between rivers and castles, with a majestic finish on a jewel of Gothic art!