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Saint-Leu-la-Forêt - Avenue de la Gare - boîte à livresPhoto: elisabeth · CC BY-SA 4.0
36%woodland
Outdoors in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt · protected areas, woods and footpaths

Saint-Leu-la-Forêt has more footpaths per km² than 9 in 10 French towns

45 km of footpaths cross Saint-Leu-la-Forêt (8.5 km per km²). Mapped woodland covers 36% of Saint-Leu-la-Forêt. No protected area reaches Saint-Leu-la-Forêt; the nearest, Tourbière de la Cailleuse nature reserve, is 2.9 km from the town center. France has no Outdoors Grade yet: these are the figures, each beside the compared towns’ median.

Protected areas
0.5%
of the commune’s land
Nearest: Tourbière de la Cailleuse nature reserve, 2.9 km
Woodland
36%
of the land, mapped on OpenStreetMap
Compared town: 13%
Footpaths
45 km
8.5 km per km²
Compared town: 1.7 km per km²
Hiking routes
2.5 km
waymarked, GR and others
Compared town: 0.3 km per km²
Parks & woods
27
named, in or within 400 m of the commune
First: Forêt domaniale de Montmorency

Throughout this page, the Val-d'Oise median and the France median are the median of compared communes (those with an overall grade), each figure its own median.

What kind of place

What kind of outdoors place is Saint-Leu-la-Forêt?

Read from the data: what stands out first, good and less good.

What sets Saint-Leu-la-Forêt apart: its footpaths, then its woods.

Against French towns

How Saint-Leu-la-Forêt compares with French towns

Each figure against the 3,798 compared French towns (communes with an overall grade): the marked bar is the town’s, the line the median. Described, not graded.

Protected areas0.5%Share of the land in a national park, regional nature park, nature reserve or Natura 2000 site
NoneMedian 0.1%100
54out of 100
Woodland36%Share of the land mapped as forest or woods on OpenStreetMap
Median 13%0100
82out of 100
Footpaths8.5 km per km²Km of mapped footpath and track open on foot, per km² of the commune
Median 1.7 km per km²08+
98out of 100
Hiking routes0.5 km per km²Km of waymarked hiking routes (GR and others), per km² of the commune
NoneMedian 0.3 km per km²3+
61out of 100

Percentiles among compared French towns; ties count half.

Towns its size

Saint-Leu-la-Forêt has the 3rd most footpaths per km² of 41 towns its size

The 40 compared French towns nearest in population (15,687 to 16,586 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.

Saint-Leu-la-Forêt 8.5
VauréalGaillac
06.513 km per km²

From Vauréal (12.3 km per km²) to Gaillac (0.2 km per km²).

Every town in the comparison
TownPaths (km/km²)WoodlandProtectedCoast
1Vauréal Val-d'Oise12.319%0%121 km
2Noisiel Seine-et-Marne9.532%0.1%162 km
3Saint-Leu-la-Forêt Val-d'Oise8.536%0.5%131 km
4Bois-d'Arcy Yvelines7.438%0%140 km
5Montévrain Seine-et-Marne7.311%0%165 km
6Orsay Essonne7.327%0%157 km
7Le Pecq Yvelines7.12.7%0%136 km
8Verneuil-sur-Seine Yvelines5.424%0%123 km
9Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire Loire-Atlantique4.712%11%45 km
10Le Bourget Seine-Saint-Denis4.52.2%0%145 km
11Domont Val-d'Oise4.528%0%133 km
12Landerneau Finistère4.418%1.2%On it
13Hennebont Morbihan425%0%On it
14Trélazé Maine-et-Loire3.913%0%122 km
15Saint-Pierre-des-Corps Indre-et-Loire3.86.9%9.3%186 km
16Marseille 16e Bouches-du-Rhône3.48.2%0.2%On it
17Mennecy Essonne3.319%8.2%180 km
18Ambérieu-en-Bugey Ain3.349%0%281 km
19Saint-Julien-en-Genevois Haute-Savoie3.213%0%286 km
20Vendôme Loir-et-Cher3.132%0%187 km
21Lucé Eure-et-Loir32.6%0%137 km
22Sin-le-Noble Nord2.712%0.1%90 km
23Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry Seine-et-Marne2.413%100%187 km
24Rumilly Haute-Savoie2.318%0.7%262 km
25Port-de-Bouc Bouches-du-Rhône2.114%28%On it
26Coulommiers Seine-et-Marne216%0%183 km
27Saint-Amand-les-Eaux Nord1.943%100%93 km
28Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert Loire1.723%13%216 km
29Toul Meurthe-et-Moselle1.420%0.5%348 km
30Montbrison Loire1.35.7%4.8%227 km
31Hayange Moselle1.335%0%305 km
32Les Herbiers Vendée1.16.5%0%62 km
33Biscarrosse Landes1.165%20%On it
34Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne Mayenne0.93.1%0%102 km
35Châteaurenard Bouches-du-Rhône0.82.1%8.3%47 km
36Mauguio Hérault0.81.4%49%On it
37Beaucaire Gard0.74.5%8.8%40 km
38Pamiers Ariège0.616%1.1%118 km
39Fos-sur-Mer Bouches-du-Rhône0.50.6%15%On it
40Montrevault-sur-Èvre Maine-et-Loire0.37.3%0%75 km
41Gaillac Tarn0.24.9%0%132 km
The map

Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside

Tap a number to zoom to a park or wood. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is the commune’s boundary.

12345678
Green: parks, gardens and woods mapped on OpenStreetMap, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · INPN / PatriNat · IGN
Places to walk

Parks and woods to walk in, in and around Saint-Leu-la-Forêt

Named parks, gardens and woods in the commune or within 400 m, the biggest and best-pathed first: Forêt domaniale de Montmorency leads, at 1,619 ha. Directions go to a point inside.

First pick

Forêt domaniale de Montmorency

Wood or forest
1,619 ha186.8 km of path
41 h 30 minto walk all 186.8 km of path
2.9 km north-eastfrom the center
Route Forestière du FaîteRoute Forestière des FondsFoutue Route+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside

Bois de Boissy

Park or garden · 210 m outside the commune
50 ha10.7 km of path
2 h 20 minto walk all 10.7 km of path
2.1 km westfrom the center
Chemin des Longs BoisChemin du Trou aux LoupsAllée du Plessis Bouchard+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside

91

Wood or forest · 200 m outside the commune
14 ha2.8 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
3.5 km northfrom the center
Route du FaîteRoute des PrincesFoutue Route
Directionsto a point inside

113

Wood or forest
14 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
2.7 km northfrom the center
Route Forestière du Milieu
Directionsto a point inside

92

Wood or forest · 300 m outside the commune
13 ha2.5 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.5 km of path
3.7 km northfrom the center
Directionsto a point inside

112

Wood or forest
10 ha2.8 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
2.7 km northfrom the center
Route Forestière du Milieu
Directionsto a point inside

13

Wood or forest · 340 m outside the commune
14 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
3.8 km northfrom the center
Route des PrincesFoutue RouteRoute Forestière du Faîte
Directionsto a point inside

100

Wood or forest
8.7 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
2.9 km north-eastfrom the center
Route Forestière des Fonds
Directionsto a point inside
All 27 named parks, gardens and woods
Forêt domaniale de MontmorencyWood or forest · 1,619 ha · 186.8 km of path
Directions
Bois de BoissyPark or garden · 50 ha · 10.7 km of path · just outside
Directions
91Wood or forest · 14 ha · 2.8 km of path · just outside
Directions
113Wood or forest · 14 ha · 2.4 km of path
Directions
92Wood or forest · 13 ha · 2.5 km of path · just outside
Directions
112Wood or forest · 10 ha · 2.8 km of path
Directions
13Wood or forest · 14 ha · 2.2 km of path · just outside
Directions
100Wood or forest · 8.7 ha · 2.6 km of path
Directions
98Wood or forest · 7.2 ha · 2.4 km of path · just outside
Directions
111Wood or forest · 11 ha · 1.9 km of path
Directions
123Wood or forest · 13 ha · 1.6 km of path
Directions
Bois des AulnaiesWood or forest · 11 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside
Directions
97Wood or forest · 13 ha · 1.4 km of path
Directions
90Wood or forest · 7.1 ha · 2 km of path · just outside
Directions
186Wood or forest · 9.6 ha · 1.4 km of path
Directions
121Wood or forest · 11 ha · 1 km of path
Directions
174Wood or forest · 7.8 ha · 1.3 km of path
Directions
Bois des Aulnaies (Bois d'Aguère)Wood or forest · 8.1 ha · 1.2 km of path
Directions
122Wood or forest · 10 ha · 0.8 km of path
Directions
173Wood or forest · 8.4 ha · 1 km of path
Directions
185Wood or forest · 5.3 ha · 1.3 km of path
Directions
128Wood or forest · 7.6 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside
Directions
94Wood or forest · 5 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside
Directions
Square Josquin des Près (Domaine de Saint-Leu la Forêt)Park or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.9 km of path
Directions
187Wood or forest · 3.4 ha · 1 km of path · just outside
Directions
Coulée verte de la 5ème avenuePark or garden · 1.4 ha
Directions
Le Charme au LoupPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
Directions

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL): named parks, gardens and woods; sizes are the whole site.

Protected areas

Tourbière de la Cailleuse nature reserve is the nearest protected area, 2.9 km away

The protected areas reaching the commune, and the nearest: national parks, regional nature parks, nature reserves and Natura 2000 sites.

Nature reserve

Tourbière de la Cailleuse nature reserve

2.9 km from the town center

Share of the commune’s land

Any protected area0.5%
Nature reserve0.5%

Designations overlap (a regional park can hold a Natura 2000 site), so the rows don’t add up; the first counts each piece of land once.

Source: INPN / PatriNat, protected areas July 2026, Natura 2000 December 2024; shares of IGN’s commune boundary.

Footpaths and woods

Footpaths and woods in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt

Paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, and waymarked hiking routes, mapped on OpenStreetMap inside the commune; woods are mapped forest and woodland, private woods included.

Footpaths
45 km
8.5 km per km²
Hiking routes
2.5 km
waymarked: 0.5 km per km²
Woodland
36%
about 1.9 km² of mapped woods

Km per km² of the commune · mapped on OpenStreetMap

Saint-Leu-la-ForêtVal-d'Oise medianFrance median
Footpaths8.5
Hiking routes0.5
0510 km per km²

Share of the land · mapped woods and forest

Saint-Leu-la-ForêtVal-d'Oise medianFrance median
Woodland36%
0%50%100%

That is more than in 98% of compared French towns for footpaths per km², and for woodland more than in 82% of compared French towns. Hiking routes often follow paths and lanes already counted, so the two lengths overlap: don’t add them. Every home in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt is within 800 m of a mapped park or wood, as in most French towns.

3 named hiking routes within 2 km

GR de PaysOther named walk
GRP de la Ceinture Verte, étape 12 : La Forêt de Montmorency4.2 km
Sentier des Lisières16 km
Un petit coin de campagne au milieu des villes4 km

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), extracts of October 25, 2026 (Geofabrik).

When to get out

The best walking months in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt: April to September

Météo-France’s 1991–2020 normals at Pontoise -Ville, 12 km away, and the daylight at the town’s latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 15 to 30 °C and little rain for the place.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)8.710.111.713.615.316.215.814.412.510.79.18.2
High (°C)891317212426262217128
Rain (mm)585249456254495346645975

April is the driest month (45 mm) and August the warmest (highs of 26 °C). 75 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 35 nights a year. The climate in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt →

Neighbors

Next to Saint-Leu-la-Forêt

The nearest towns of 2,500 or more, colored by the share of their land in protected areas.

Saint-PrixLe Plessis-BouchardTavernyErmontMontlignonFranconvilleSaint-Leu-la-Forêt
Under 1%1–10 %10–25 %25–50 %50 %+
TownProtectedWoodlandPaths (km/km²)
Saint-Leu-la-Forêt0.5%36%8.5
Saint-Prix
7,612 · 1.4 km
0.5%64%8.4
Le Plessis-Bouchard
8,518 · 1.5 km
0%1.2%5.8
Taverny
27,593 · 2.1 km
0.4%33%10.5
Ermont
29,489 · 2.9 km
0%0%6.9
Montlignon
3,038 · 2.9 km
0%50%5.5
Franconville
37,754 · 3 km
0%27%8.2

Saint-Prix is more wooded.

How to read these numbers

What this data can and can’t tell you

  • Protected areas. National-park cores, national parks’ outer areas, regional nature parks, nature reserves and Natura 2000 sites, from INPN. A national park’s core is strictly protected; its outer area and a regional park are charters between communes, not bans. Designations overlap, so the total counts each piece of land once.
  • Woodland. Forest and woods as OpenStreetMap maps them, private woods included: woods nobody has mapped are missing, and a mapped wood isn’t necessarily open to walkers.
  • Footpaths and hiking routes. Footpaths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, then waymarked hiking routes (GR and others) measured apart. A route often follows a path or lane already counted: the two overlap. Paths nobody has mapped are missing.
  • Green space nearby. The share of residents (INSEE’s 200 m grid) within 800 m, as the crow flies, of a mapped park, garden or wood edge. It measures nearness, not a way in. Guadeloupe and French Guiana have no grid: their pages say whether the town center is within 800 m.
  • The coast. The straight-line distance from the town center to OpenStreetMap’s coastline, which follows the tide line into estuaries. A commune is on the coast when the coastline crosses its boundary.
  • No grade yet. U.S. and UK towns have an Outdoors Grade; French towns don’t yet. Each figure is set beside the median of compared communes (those with an overall grade) in the département and in France, each figure its own median.

Questions about the outdoors in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt

Is Saint-Leu-la-Forêt in a national or regional nature park?

No. The nearest protected area is Tourbière de la Cailleuse nature reserve, 2.9 km from the town center.

Are there good walks in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt?

OpenStreetMap maps 45 km of footpaths and tracks open on foot in the commune, 8.5 km per km² (the median compared town: 1.7 km per km²); 3 km of waymarked hiking routes cross it.

How much of Saint-Leu-la-Forêt is woodland?

36% of the commune is mapped woodland, private woods included; the median compared French town has 13%.

Is Saint-Leu-la-Forêt near the sea?

No: the coast is 131 km from the town center, as the crow flies.

When is the best time for walking in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt?

April to September: long days, mild highs and little rain, from Météo-France’s 1991–2020 normals at the nearest suitable station.

Why is there no Outdoors Grade for French towns?

TownRatings grades the outdoors in the U.S. and the UK; the French figures are new and not graded yet. This page sets each one beside the median compared French town instead.

Sources: INPN / PatriNat (protected areas 2026, Natura 2000 2024) · © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL (paths, hiking routes, woods, coast, gardens) · INSEE, Filosofi 2021 200 m grid (residents) · IGN Admin Express (boundaries) · Météo-France normals 1991–2020 · Medians and percentiles: TownRatings, over compared French towns, updated November 9, 2026. Under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab).

Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.