Meulan-en-Yvelines sits on a bend of the Seine, about forty kilometres north-west of Paris, where the river divides around an island. The old town climbs steeply up the hillside from the water, and from the top you get a fine view over the river, the bridges and the valley. Across the water, Les Mureaux has a long aerospace history, and parts of the Ariane rockets are made there.
The Seine here is a working river, with barges carrying sand, gravel and grain, but it is also lovely, with wooded islands, chalk cliffs and riverside villages. To the north rises the Vexin français, a regional natural park of rolling farmland, wooded valleys and stone villages, which feels a world away from the suburbs of Paris.
The riding here is a mix of river roads and plateau routes. The roads along the Seine are scenic, with views over the water and the islands, but they can be busy. The routes north into the Vexin climb onto the plateau, where the roads run through fields and woods with long, gentle curves. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is lighter in the Vexin.
Meulan has fuel, food and basic services. As a scenic stretch, the views over the Seine are the highlight, especially from the high ground above the town. The Vexin villages, with their old churches and farms, make pleasant stops along the way.