Ézy-sur-Eure is a modest town of three thousand on the river Eure in Normandy, close to the border of the Eure and Eure-et-Loir, and its neighbour, Saussay, is a hamlet. The place is a few kilometres from Anet, a small town with one of the most celebrated châteaux of the French Renaissance, built in the 1540s by the architect Philibert de l'Orme for Diane de Poitiers, the favourite of King Henri II. The château, with its elegant courtyard and its famous carved entrance gate, is open to the public, and the story of Diane, who was about twenty years older than the king and ruled his heart for decades, is told in the rooms.
The Eure is a calm, clear river that runs among meadows and poplars, past mills and washhouses, and in summer people swim in the shallows and picnic on the banks, so the point is tagged for swimming. The water is generally cool and the current gentle, but check for signs, since not all stretches are supervised. The Chantilly and Ermenonville, named in the ride, lie well to the north-east, in the Oise, so this valley is a quiet western detour.
For a rider the Eure valley is a gentle place. The road follows the river with long, easy curves, passing small villages with stone houses and church towers, and now and then climbs onto the plateau for a view over the wheat fields. The surface is mostly good, and traffic is light on weekdays, with more cyclists and walkers on weekends. Because the lanes are narrow and the hedges high, watch for blind corners and farm vehicles. Fuel is available in Anet and Pacy-sur-Eure, and bakeries and cafés in the villages offer simple meals.
The region is famous for its cereals, and the plateau is covered with a patchwork of golden wheat in July. Evening is a lovely time, when the sun slants through the poplars and the river is still. In autumn the mist sits in the valley, and in winter fog and frost are common, so allow extra time. A visit to the château in the morning, before the crowds arrive, is worth the detour if you have an hour to spare.