June 26, 2024
Sarrebourg to Saverne
Why we Cycle Tour
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Today we had one of our best days of cycle touring, not least because it was so unexpected.
Today’s plan was to take a 40 minute TER regional train from Nancy to Sarrebourg at noon, and then ride 30 km to the outskirts of Saverne.
When I originally planned the trip we had multiple long riding days scheduled through the Alsace-Loraine. After our challenges in the early part of our trip we got a little skittish about long days so I took a look at how to mitigate that by taking the train to Sarrebourg and changing our overnight point from Sarrebourg to Saverne. We turned two very long days into two shorter days of 30 or 40 km each. You all know we have a love/hate relationship with the train so it wasn’t entirely apparent train riding would be a better strategy.
However, it worked out swimmingly. I had been down to the Nancy station the day before (you know- on the day we did not report on) so we knew where the train was likely to leave from - track 11 - and it did not require an elevator transfer. The TER train mid-day was very quiet. It was a roll-on/off train and all we had to do was lean our bikes against the wall of the train. There was no other bikes on the train. It was a breeze.
When we got off in Sarrebourg - which looked like a healthy, pleasant town, we found a sit down bakery with the help of a very nice woman who ran the bar by the train station who wasn't serving food herself but was happy to point us to a place that would . We split a piece of pizza and an orange Fanta, Dave’s choice of beverage in hot weather. (Jill has to admit it tastes absurdly good, given she no longer drinks soda after many years living on diet pepsi in law school and while working).
We took off on the bikes in the heat of a very hot day at 1:30 and the ride out of Sarrebourg was fine but after 10 km we reached the Valley of the Lockkeepers and had a magical ride into Saverne on a cycle trail.
The French phrase for the area is “vallée des éclusiers.”
The backstory is that Napoleon’s regime built a canal and 17 locks to allow transport and commerce between the Saar basin and the Rhine basin. Each lock had a house for the lock keeper to live in to manage their particular lock and there was a whole community that grew up in this valley around that activity.
The locks and canal became obsolete in 1969 when a boat elevator (called a transverse boat lift) was constructed that allowed boats to go up or down the canal in one place. (Not being an engineer I am hazy on how this works but if you want to see how it operates watch the you tube video at https://youtu.be/XddWCvSfuGg?si=RkREZ5B3ZMwZZ86o) The original canal ran dry and some of the lockhouses were allowed to deteriorate. Others have been taken over by individuals who use them as vacation homes. What exists now is a mysterious dry canal with some vegetation growing in it and few of the lockhouses that have been taken over by people living in them. Dave described the ride as haunting but beautiful and we pretty much gawked for the whole ride. There were dramatic cliffs on one side of the locks and a scenic forest on the other.
The locals wanted to preserve the history so the cycle route was developed in place of an old towpath with useful placards so cyclists could learn about the history (in English too).
Eventually we came to a regular operating canal with many rental boats for recreational purposes and there were people in swimsuits on these boats enjoying the very warm weather.
Its was just one of those rides where we realized why we cycle tour; we learned some wonderful local history in a beautiful place.
As we approached Saverne we had a super stiff uphill climb to Hotel Gavenne which was a wonderful small inn overlooking the valley. Our room was great: in the attic (as usual) with a great tub (so long as you avoid hitting your head getting in/out), a/c that worked, and a tv that allowed casting.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The patio was pretty full for dinner and we had Alsatian wine, a tarte flambé (an Alsatian specialty) and fish and then retired to our cool room to watch a Mark Cavendish special; for the non-cyclists he is a famous British sprinter who fell on hard times and then rebounded. It was an inspiring story and got us in the mood for the start of the Tour de France on Saturday. Not like we need more inspiration.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Great day, great evening. It’s why we are out here!
Today's ride: 30 km (19 miles)
Total: 2,012 km (1,249 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 7 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |