Bondy Regional forest is a vestige of the famous Forest of Bondy which covered all the Parisian East side in the middle ages. It consists of various species: oak, beech, cherry or birch… In the South of the forest there is a wide valley, walkers can appreciate five ponds and their peaceful shorelines. There is a picnic area, playgrounds, biking and jogging facilities, you can observe aquatic fauna and flora while wandering along the embankment and near the ponds.
Of the former forest, only 400 hectares remain today, including the Bondy regional forest (170 hectares), the Bois des Couronnes, the Bois de Livry-Gargan (known as the Chelles reserve), the Bois de Bernouille, the Parc de la Poudrerie in Sevran and the Parc de la Fosse-Maussoin (Clichy sous bois) - the latter will be extended from 7 to 14 hectares in January 2021, with a target of 22 hectares by 2022. Traces of the former Forêt de Bondy can also be found in the form of isolated clusters of old oak or hornbeam trees in private properties as far north as Livry-Gargan and in Raincy as far as the SNCF line. The lakes, castles and residences that once existed in the Bondy forest have often been lost to urbanization (such as the Notre-Dame des Anges chapel) or have disappeared altogether (such as the Sept-Îles pond).
The Bondy forest has partly disappeared, but it's still possible to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors. Follow the Dhuis River for a lovely walk. From Lagny station, via Clichy-sous-Bois, you can walk for several kilometers through woods and fields. At every kilometer, you'll catch a glimpse of the Dhuys spring, which once supplied Paris with drinking water. The path crosses the Bondy forest and the extraordinarily well-preserved Coubron site, with its woods, cereal fields and meadows where you can still meet cows!
The 10-kilometer “sentier de Cosette” hiking trail bypasses Montfermeil and joins the Dhuis promenade via the Vieux Chemin de Coubron.
The Agence des Espaces Verts offers a number of walking trails for you to explore on your own:
- Promenade du Val d'Adam: Distance: 6 km / estimated duration: 1h45 min.
- La promenade des Alisiers : Distance : 6 km / Estimated duration : 1h45 min
Agence des Espaces Verts proposes activities and walking trails all year long ! browse through the document for all information on their website as well as the map of the forest of Bondy.
Discover also the Dhuis river walk from Gagny to Coubron, a nature outing in Paris.
Main entrance via rue Lucien-Chapelain (parking lot, bus 234: Ronsard-Villon).
Bondy forest opening times :
Open in winter from October 16 to April 15: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Open in summer from April 16 to October 15: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Adventure theme: 3 itineraries for teenagers and adult and one trail for children (from 5 years old). Open Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and in the afternoon during public and school holidays.
2 playgrounds are accessible to children from 2 to 12 years old: one near the pond, and the other near the car park close to promenade de la Dhuis.
Observation point of fauna and flora in the ponds on the pontoon + 12 ponds are scattered all over the forest
Promenade de la Dhuis is the longest walking tour "liaison verte" in Ile-de-France, about 27 kilometers for pedestrians and cyclists.
A superb clearing allows everyone to relax : to sit quietly, to walk slowly and admire the flora and magnificent beech along the trails… or even sport -walking (see the PR21 walk) or jogging.
Activities: Educational activities, interpretive theme events, temporary exhibitions, riding trails, Biking trails.
tel : 01 83 65 38 00 (Agence des Espaces Verts) 
Getting there
Clichy - Montfermeil
Le Raincy
