Septeuil is a small village in the Yvelines, west of Paris, tucked into the valley of the Vaucouleurs, a small river that runs north towards the Seine at Mantes. The village has an old church, a few shops and cafés, and a pleasant rural atmosphere, surrounded by fields, woods and gentle hills.
The area is part of the Mantois, a region of farmland and small villages between the Seine and the forests of the south. To the south lies Houdan, an old market town with a massive twelfth-century keep and a famous breed of chicken. To the north, the Seine valley and the cliffs of the Vexin offer dramatic scenery. The villages around Septeuil are quiet and unspoilt, with old farms, churches and manor houses.
As a food stop, Septeuil has a bakery and a few places to eat, and nearby towns like Houdan and Mantes-la-Jolie offer more choice. As a start and finish, it is a convenient base for rides into the Vexin and along the Seine. The roads around the village are winding and pleasant, with short climbs, bends and views over the fields.
Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light away from the main roads. Fuel is available in the larger towns nearby. The valley of the Vaucouleurs is a pleasant ride, following the river through meadows and woods, and the plateaux above offer wide views over the countryside.