We have had a wonderful time in Givet, our last stop in France before continuing along the Meuse to Belgium. We have loved staying at the family run hotel, Les Reflets Jaunes. The staff treat their guests like family and give the hotel a happy relaxed vibe. We loved it so much, we stayed a second night. We also stayed an extra day because, for several days we have been dealing with relentlessly bad weather every day-rainy and cold, and both of us have increasingly been feeling under the weather. Added to that is our awareness and concern that Seavo is on borrowed time. With the unresolved problems that our tandem has, we are wary of Seavo’s potential to successfully make it to Holland. It seems like a good idea for all of us to have a free day.
For our final morning at Les Reflets Jaunes, we treated ourselves to breakfast in the dining room. The selection and quality was amazing. The pastry table was laden with fruit tartes, brioche buns, cakes and various loaves.
Another area with fresh fruit, cheeses, yogurt etc. They also had a station with eggs and bacon, as well as bringing us made to order omelets. There was another area with an assortment of breads and buns…..you get the idea, it was one of the better breakfasts we have had.
When we checked in, the hotel upgraded us to a larger room. We were appreciative but the fellow was very apologetic that one of the electrical outlets needed fixing. No problem for us. We enjoyed the larger room with a seating area plus a huge bathroom.
Staying here has given us a memorable time as we will be leaving France tomorrow and proceeding to Belgium. The hotel is situated in the centre of the village and we were able to walk everywhere…to the patisserie, for groceries, sight seeing….
We took a wrong turn and ended up at the Givet Train Station. We liked these bike lockers…don’t think Seavo would fit!
Today promises to be a spectacular ride. We will be riding through Dînant on the Meuse. It is famous for its spectacular setting on the river with the soaring cliffs of the Ardennes behind.
As you can see on the signage, we have everything we need…upcoming towns with mileage, route names…La Meuse a Velo, also known as Eurovelo 19 and also, because we are entering Belgium, the number 5 refers to the local Belgium system of numbering routes. Oh yes, almost forgot the Dutch stickers! The yellow dots with the red arrow also signify the way to go. One could not get lost unless you wanted to.
What is the expression….an embarrassment of riches? Check out the sign…it covers it all. First: Walkers, bikes and horses welcome on route 8 in Belgium to Mariembourg and Agimont, and Second: Bike route to Givet and finally the Ravel route which takes us along the Meuse and Maas River in Holland.
The translation of this information board explained in brutal detail the negative impact that Canada Geese and the Egyptian Geese are having on the environment, local bird species, and the condition of sidewalks and parks.
This part of the Meuse River has many locks and hydroelectric plants. A great deal of debris flows into the locks. Special equipment with mechanical teeth pick the debris out of the water.
This couple is explaining to Mary Ellen that because it’s Monday the castle grounds are closed. They are from Germany and are on a cycling tour. It can be a small world when cycling - we continued to see them for the next few days.
And then we were met with this dilemma. We had to backtrack across the way we had come. We rode a couple of km down the road to a bridge that we were able to cross. A bit frustrating to have detour upon detour.
There are a number of decorative saxophones installed on the bridge in Dinant which crosses the Meuse River. The saxophones are on the bridge to honour Adolf Sax, a musician and the inventor of the “sax”ophone in the 1840’s.
The bridge in Dinant uses saxophones to pay tribute to each of the European countries in the European Union. Installed in 2010, 28 saxophones adorn the Charles de Gaulle bridge. Why saxophones? Well, it was here in Dinant that Adolf Sax, the inventor of the saxophone was born. In 1841, he invented the saxophone.
The village of Profondeville has a sense of humour. “311 metres of good vibrations” thanks to the bone shaking cobbles that we endured before we arrived at the village
Charmaine RuppoltYes, cobbles are difficult to ride -- and there's a bit of a curve to that cobble road, making it even more difficult! Reply to this comment 1 month ago
The local grocery store has many shelves of Belgian beer.There are over 300 breweries in Belgium. On average, Belgians drink 68 litres of beer each year. Most beers are bought or served in bottles not cans. Almost every beer has its own branded, sometimes uniquely shaped glass. In 2016, UNESCO inscribed Belgian beer culture on their list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.