Discover Grez-sur-Loing

Grez-sur-Loing is a destination for anyone interested in riverside scenery, historic buildings and railway history. Its attractions range from journeys through forests and lakes to medieval buildings and activities along the banks of the Loing. When planning your visit, you might consider whether a historic train ride, cultural history or time by the water should shape your stay.

Through forests and lakes on the Tacot des Lacs

The Tacot des Lacs offers rides on an authentic historic train through forests and lakes. The route follows a former sand railway and makes its earlier industrial use part of the experience. The ride therefore combines a train journey with a glimpse of a historic mode of transport and the landscape along the route.

The Tacot des Lacs also includes an open-air museum with restored machinery used for industrial and military transport. Volunteers guide visitors around the museum. The collection includes four complete narrow-gauge trains from the First World War, grouped under the name “les 4 petits trains de la Grande Guerre”. The ride and museum visit offer different points of interest: one focuses on the journey through forests and lakes, the other on restored transport technology and its history.

The Loing, a stone bridge and the history of artists

The banks of the Loing near Grez-sur-Loing are suitable for fishing and for boat or canoe trips. Activities on and beside the river are therefore among the things to do locally. The Vieux Pont de pierre appeals to a different interest: the old stone bridge dates from the 12th century and has ten arches. It inspired artists from many countries, including Robert-Louis Stevenson.

The history of plein-air painting also provides a cultural point of reference. In the 19th century, Grez-sur-Loing was known among plein-air artists in countries such as Scandinavia, Japan, Great Britain and the United States. The bridge and this international renown tell different sides of the area’s cultural heritage: one is a specific structure, the other the way artists of that time viewed the place.

The ponds of Grez-Moncourt offer another perspective on the landscape. They cover 50 hectares and are the remains of former sand and gravel pits. They were acquired and landscaped as a classified natural site in 1975, and are open to the public for sports and leisure activities. Their origins in former pits set them apart from the banks of the Loing and give the landscape a distinctive background.

Architectural history and planning your visit

The Tour de Ganne was built around 1127 and served as a keep in the Île-de-France defensive line facing Burgundy and Champagne. The church of Notre-Dame and Saint-Laurent reveals another chapter in the area’s architectural history: it dates from the late 12th century and was left unfinished because the choir was never built. Together, the two buildings offer different ways into the town’s medieval history.

The Prieuré adds to the historic sites as a venue for exhibitions and events. It includes a large park by the river; exhibitions and events may vary over time. If a particular event matters to your trip, check the latest dates. For rides on the Tacot des Lacs, check the current operating days and train times. These practical considerations can be matched to your own interests—whether you plan to focus mainly on the train ride, architectural history or activities by the water.

Discover more destinations: Vulaines-sur-Seine, Nanteuil-Lès-Meaux, Jossigny, Réau, Chartrettes, Magny-Le-Hongre, Baby, Seine-Port.

View the broader travel guide: Seine-Et-Marne.