Pacy-sur-Eure sits on the river Eure in Normandy, about an hour west of Paris, in a valley of meadows, poplars and chalk hillsides. The town is a modest market centre with a Gothic church, a riverside setting and good access to the A13 motorway. It is also the starting point of a heritage railway, the Chemin de fer de la vallée de l'Eure, which runs along the valley on summer weekends.
The Eure valley is lovely riding country. The road along the river winds through villages, past watermills and manor houses, with the chalk slopes rising on either side. A short ride north lies Vernon on the Seine, with the Château de Bizy, and across the river, the village of Giverny, where Claude Monet lived and painted his water lilies. His house and gardens are among the most visited sights in Normandy, and in spring and summer they are spectacular, though very crowded.
The riding is gentle and pleasant, with roads following the valleys and climbing onto the plateaux, where the fields stretch to the horizon. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light away from the main routes. The Seine valley offers more dramatic scenery, with chalk cliffs and the ruins of Château Gaillard at Les Andelys, built by Richard the Lionheart.
Pacy-sur-Eure has fuel, food and basic services. As a photo stop, the river and the valley offer lovely views, especially in the morning light, when mist rises from the water.