Off on day 2 of the actual Moselle river from Epinal the highest navigable part of the Moselle.It was slow leaving Epinal as there is no signeage to follow and after our blunder on the Rhine cycling for 10kms on the wrong canal we were very careful to make sure we exited Epinal onto the  towpath between the Moselle and canal des

Vosges. Easy and very pretty cycling disturbed only by a section fenced off by police and firebrigade . I do hope a fisherman didn’t fall in the canal it would be very difficult to get out. Interesting aquaduct of the canal over the Moselle seems so amazing.

With the lack of signeage I was lock counting till I realised  where they put the  lock numbers.Its  in small writing on the little wooden huts ;  all the directions in the guide book are based on the lock number. The numbers are so small even hubby who doesn’t need glasses was struggling to identify the numbers.

We came off the canal to visit Charmes which turned out to be totally uncharming.Charmes claim to fame is that it has been completely destroyed 4 times, the last time in 1944 by the retreating German army so it has some very 1950s grey concrete housing.No choice of coffee shops either as Monday was Charmes rest day so almost everything was shut!The bakery was open and did serve coffee etc so it was worth the detour off the canal.

We rejoined the canal the other side of Charmes and this is where the guide book tells you the track hasnt been built beyond 2 locks further on. Lock 33 no more cycle path. !! So you have the choice of trying your bikes on mountain bike terrain; grass, potholed dirt, 4 wheel tracks etc or the road for 26kms. We chose the road as it was quite warm 30C and we figured we’d be able to get lunch and top up with water at one of the 5 villages the road went through.

Incorrect assumption this is rural France and as we cycled through each village we became more despondant lunch was not forthcoming.Suddenly in the middle of one village with nothing else around it we came across a small Aldi, now the german Aldi has little regard for French etiquette of rest days or lunch closures, so we went in bought water, bananas, bread and a few cans of fish just in case.!

This area was once very industrialised but little left now just empty derelict buildings, derelict factories and shuttered houses up for sale and no sign of any restaurants or cafes. Finally the last village Flavigny sur Moselle on the road before rejoining the canal had a restaurant open but we were too late the kitchen was closed, no lunch.Bananas and bread for lunch luckily it was quite hot so we were’nt especially hungry and the Ibis hotel that morning had had a suprisingly good breakfast.

Back on the canal for more kilometres we turned off at Mereville in search of accomodation and a break from the heat. We’d already cycled 66kms and didn’t want to break our record of 68kms!We turned the corner and yes a signpost to a hotel. It was OPEN something was going our way finally today. Beautiful grounds overlooking the Moselle and a swimming pool…magic I have been missing my swims. We enjoyed the recliners and bird life very nice and I’m not even going to think about tomorrow where the guide book tells us “this section is neither continuous or well sign-posted”……..

La Maison Carree Hotel   hotel logis 3 star  90 euros (pricey for rural France but pool was worth it)

MEREVILLE