Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines lies on the southern edge of the forest of Rambouillet, one of the largest forests in the Paris region, where the woods begin to give way to the wide, open fields of the Beauce. The village has an old church, a few streets of stone houses and the gentle air of a place where Parisians come for the weekend.
Its best-known landmark is the Moulin de Villeneuve, an old mill on the Rémarde river that was the country home of the writers Louis Aragon and Elsa Triolet. They bought it after the war and lived here for many years, and they are buried together in the garden. The house is now a museum, with their furniture, books and paintings, and the garden is a peaceful place to wander.
The forest of Rambouillet surrounds the area, with oak, beech and pine woods, ponds and clearings. It was a royal hunting forest for centuries, and the château of Rambouillet, a former royal residence and later a presidential retreat, lies a short ride to the north. The forest is home to deer and wild boar, so be careful on the roads at dawn and dusk.
As a food stop, Saint-Arnoult has bakeries, cafés and restaurants, and the nearby towns offer more choice. The riding around here is relaxed, with roads winding through the forest and across the fields, good surfaces and generally light traffic. Fuel is available in the area. After a meal, the roads south into the Beauce offer wide horizons and long straights, a change from the enclosed forest roads.