Enghien-les-Bains is the only town in the Paris region that feels like a spa resort, and that is exactly what it was built to be. The town grew up in the nineteenth century around sulphurous springs and a lake, and the Parisians who came to take the waters left behind villas, promenades and a casino. This finish puts you right on the lake shore, with Montmorency forest on the hills behind.
The casino is famous for a legal quirk. French law long prohibited casinos within a hundred kilometres of Paris, and Enghien was granted an exception, which made it the gambling address of the capital for generations. The thermal baths are still in use, and the lake, with its boats, fountains and lakeside paths, makes for a gentle walk after a long ride.
The forest of Montmorency, on the ridge north of the town, is a large wood of chestnut and oak, criss-crossed by roads and tracks. Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived in Montmorency for several years and wrote some of his major works there, and his house is now a museum.
The ride into Enghien from the Seine valley takes you through the northern suburbs, with plenty of traffic, roundabouts and speed bumps. The roads are generally well surfaced but busy, and the last kilometres are about patience rather than pleasure. Parking for motorcycles is usually available near the lake.
The lakeside terraces are the obvious place to end, and on a summer evening, with the water lit and the casino glowing, Enghien has a faintly Belle Époque holiday air that is odd and rather lovely so close to the périphérique. Fuel is easier in the neighbouring towns than in the centre.