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The splendid "parc (and château) de Sceaux" was built by Colbert, finance minister of Louis XIV, at some 14 km from Paris. Twenty five (good) bikes have been rented for those willing to ride from Paris to the park and back (the park is large and a bike is appropriate for the visit). The price is 100F; the insurance of LC 2000 applies to the trip (not in case the bike is stolen, but the bike is provided with a lock). Most of the way from Paris to the park is called the green strip ("la coulée verte"), and is pleasant, without cars, except for a few crossings. The ride is flat, except for spots which are short enough to be climbed up with the bike on your side, if you find it too steep. Hence familiarity with biking is the only prerequisite.

Departure: 2:30pm on Place de Catalogne, 200 m behind the Montparnasse skyscraper and railway station (metro: Montparnasse). Bikes to be obtained there.
Returning the bike: same place, at 6:30pm (6pm if the weather is awful; but the decision on this will be taken at 2:30pm).

IMPORTANT POINTS

1. You need: a watch, sun and rain protection.
2. Between km 0 and 4, the green strip is not completed and the path is sometimes complicated; so we will stay together on that part. Later on, to find the path is easy and everybody is left on their own (with a crude map); for the return, an appointment will be made, so that we ride back together again from km 4 to 0.
3. The typical French driver is a dangerous psychopath. Hence great care must be taken to realize whenever the car-less lane on which you ride crosses a street with cars. You must also pay attention to pedestrians, as they often ignore bike-lanes.

• Jean-Pierre Ressayre organizes the party and will take part with stuff to fix bikes and with a mobile phone, the number of which you will have.
• The castle of Sceaux hosts a museum on the history of Ile de France.
• The green strip goes on beyond parc de Sceaux for 6 km, to the town of Massy and to the forest of Verrières. But though pleasant this complement is not remarkable and unless you hurry, you will have little time for it.

Mise à jour le 21 juillet, 2000.