We’re on the Meuse River Cycle Route - Eurovelo 19
Pagny-sur-Meuse to Saint Mihiel
Today is exciting for us as we begin riding a new route, The Meuse Cycle Route which we will ride north to Rotterdam. After having ridden part of the Lahn River route in Germany and the Moselle River from Koblenz to Nancy in Germany and France, we feel that our experience has been enriched by the vibrant impact of these waterways . Clearly we love being around water and river routes. It contributes to the character of where we are, it is intrinsic to the identity of the towns along the way and ultimately it is relaxing….perhaps less so when flooding. However, we feel that we were in a rare position to appreciate what this natural phenomenon means to local communities and their economy. As well as how they cope with it. We have picked up the route at Pagny-sur-Meuse and plan to ride it through France, Belgium in the Ardennes and culminating in Rotterdam, Holland.
Our accomodation at the Logis Hotel is very basic but the breakfast was a nice surprise. We loved the fresh fruit, cheeses and meat, but we particularly enjoyed the omelet made to order.
Very tiny space, but the good was that the bed was very comfortable. The bathroom however needs a lot of work. The space was so tight that there wasn’t enough space for toilet paper.
A typical building/home with wooden shutters. We are fascinated by the attached buildings of homes and businesses that stretch the length of the village. It is rare to see individual buildings that are not connected to others.
A church in a village we were riding through. It is interesting how crossing a border can reveal very different architecture and character. Indeed, we are now in France.
We are fascinated by the change of architecture, local customs and the type of drivers we are encountering. France and Germany are countries we enjoy visiting very much and as cyclists, we feel like we get to appreciate the differences even more by travelling slowly on a bike without the buffers or separation that one can feel in a car.
Enjoy seeing the various styles of historic churches in the villages. All were well cared for, some had a simple design or had ornate touches, but all embodied a sense of pride for the residents.
Touring cyclists unite! We share much in common with fellow cyclists….but somehow bakeries are always a common thread. This couple are from Holland and they are also riding the Meuse River route.
Leon from New Zealand and Emilie and Detloff from Kassel, Germany are also cycling the Meuse route. Emilie and Detloff have been on the road for the last two months. They started in Portugal. It was a pleasure meeting them.
The landmark of any village is the church tower which can be seen from afar. These picturesque villages have a long history and have endured much in the last century with two world wars. Most villages have a monument honouring the locals who lost their lives in warfare.
We have had a great start riding on the River Meuse today. The riding and routing of the Meuse is quite different from what we experienced on the Lahn and Moselle Rivers. Most of the riding there closely followed alongside the river, but in the case of the Meuse, it is a combination of riding inland, often on a secondary D road as well as close to the river. We became spoiled on the Lahn and Moselle, as we were mostly on dedicated cycling paths. The signage here is incredible and frees the rider from needing to reference a map frequently.
We love the simplicity of the signage. It is brilliant to simply show the northern and southern direction as it can get confusing without this.
