September 3, 2012
From Verdun to Metz: Not a particularly easy day but fascinating
I knew that today would be a challenge so yesterday called in at the Office de Tourisme to ask the best cycle route from Verdun to Metz. Our conversation was anything but reassuring.
Madam. “Il n’est pas possible. Il y a 83km “
Me. I know but what would be the easiest way if we tried to go
Look of horror on her face, she produces a map and points out a road assuring me once again 83km.
I notice the road is coloured red an N road so enquire “Beacoup de circulation?”
Madam “Mais oui”
Me “Camions”
Madam “ Oui beacoup des camions”
This is clearly not for us so I point out another route the D 903, it is coloured a more reassuring colour.
Madam “N’est pas possible, Le Parc Naturel Regional de Lorriane, beaucoup des collines terrible.
She gave me the map, a booklet about possible accommodation along the way but failed to give me the emergency numbers I am sure she thought I needed.
Me” Mercie Madam, aurevoir”
Madam “ Bonne Courage”
All this is in my fractured French – I had to write it in mainly English because my written French is even worse than my conversation. Apologies to my language teacher friends for the terrible French spelling.
We tried to sleep well last night.
It was an early start, just after dawn. The GPS did its stuff getting us a complicated way to the start of the D903. This road is “La Voie de la Liberte” and is the route that the Americans took in the last few weeks of World War 2 in their march from the Meuse to the Moselle, the milestones along the way commemorate this. It was much as described and as many of the hills in the Parc part were 10% we had to get off and push. There was a bonus though at the top, on a little plateau was an aeroclub airport with an open café so of course we called in. It was lucky we did because after this alhough the terraine moderated considerably there were no services for at least 50km. It is fascinating we were passing through dying towns or villages. We were a long way from the Villages fleuri that France shows off so proudly. Each town or village had its own particular decaying beauty. There would be the proud steeple of the church, I wonder when the last service was held, sometimes there would be a falling down Hotel de Ville. The only people we saw were the odd bent women attending to the front of their old houses. The only business I saw was a combined Chambre d’hote, funeral director (best avoided I thought) This is country that has been fought over endlessly through the years – there were German memorials to the Franco Prussian war when presumably it was German territory – but now it is dying the only signs of real life being the massive farms.
Then we came to Mars-la-Tour, it is a town with 1 fleurie and as we came in we saw shops. Oh no, it was Monday and they were shut all except for 1 Boulangerie where we got a can of the most delicious orange juice I have ever tasted. After this civilization became more normal though there were still some massive hills until we arrived in Metz with its heaving humanity. It looks a very interesting town so we have decided to stay two nights here.
Perhaps the lady at the Verdun Information Touristic should cycle it –it is 73km not 83km
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From now on (until the Alps) our journey becomes much easier, we are following cycle tracks and have Bikeline Maps the whole way.
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Today's ride: 73 km (45 miles)
Total: 1,947 km (1,209 miles)
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