Metz to Perl

September 5, 2012

Metz was waking up as we bounced our way over the cobbles trying our best to avoid the buses and the pedestrians. School started again in France this week so the mix has school children in it still looking eager at the thought of what the year will bring them. As we discovered yesterday the old city with its historical edifices, numerous gothic churches and baroque public parks retains its charm. As a city of 300,000, it is its industrial growth however that has sustained its development. Today the romanticism of yesterday was to be replaced by reality. At first our route out of the city was along very busy roads ,we are getting pretty smart at riding in heavy traffic, but after a few kilometers we were delighted to get onto a well signed cycle way. This goes along either the river or along a canal. The very name of the canal (La Mine de Fer) more than hints at what the landscape will be like. Industrial site after industrial site lines both the river and the canal, there are huge barges and these are often filled with coal. This continues to Thionville were we stop for an overpriced coffee. One more sting in the tail in the shape of four Nuclear Reactors and we are on what we imagined the Moselle Radweg would be like.

The valley narrows and after a while we see the first vineyards on the steep south facing slopes. The viticulturer in Ken will not let him pass these first vines without examining them. He concludes that they are quite well through veraison and is somewhat surprised by how heavily sprayed they are but then it is still quite a while till they will be picked. I look in horror at the steepness of the slope and the one tractor I see clinging to it; it makes me feel very glad that although our vineyard is steep in parts it is nothing like this.

Near Apach we come to the Schengen Tripoint where France, Germany and Luxembourg met. We chose to go to Perl in Germany at this point as it appears to have the most accommodation. It is however what Ken calls ‘an up town’. The first two hotels are ‘complet’ but we have struck the jack pot with this one. A wonderful girl without a word of French or English, a massive attractive comfortable room, hot shower, garage for our bikes, internet access and all at a reasonable price. What more could we ask for?

Except perhaps that the internet actually worked !!

Despite the industry the Moselle is a river of swans

The fishermen around here seemed to be camped out so they didn't lose valuable minutes of fishing

We were suprised to see some red grapes, very few are grown here and they are Pinot Noir =note the heavy spray

This really amused me it is at the French/German border

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 2,019 km (1,254 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	0
Comment on this entry	Comment	0