We really enjoyed our night in the Hotel Logis and toyed briefly with idea of staying, there were no shops or restaurants in Merriville so that idea didn’t last long , You have to stay 3 nights to get half board which meant we’d progress nowhere along the Moselle.

So after a very nice breakfast with everything you can imagine we set off wishing we hadn’t eaten quite so much.It had been a warm night so it was already about 23C when we set off. Our route set off along the canal towpath beautiful, tranquil etc  well that didnt last long before we were heading off on gravel tracks through factories past scrap steel works, steel wire works delightful. This used to be a big steel making area so clearly remnants of that industry remain.

We passed the village where I had wanted to stay Sexey aux Forges but just aswell we didnt end up there more industry but after that back into the countryside into the wide gorge of the Moselle.We then had some very rough terrain including narrow muddy footpaths through the woods that somehow our guide book expected you to cycle along fortunately it hadn’t rained recently. There were sections where you had water either side of you and water to one side was often stagnant so if you stopped too long you were eaten alive, I knew I should have packed some insect repellant.However not only had the hot weather brought all the midges and mosquitoes out it also had brought out all the butterflies, just lovely!

Some of the morning was spent on country roads with a bit more than an undulation still the downhill bits kept you cool.That beautiful lush green grass of a few weeks ago is now turning brown, its getting more like Oz by the minute.Marker boards are now pearing regularly on the Moselle only another 386kms and we’ll be in Koblenz. That is of course if we dont do any more alternative routes this Moselle loop,the Boucle, bypassing Nancy is quite a bit longer.

 

Hubby was getting worried that coffee wasn’t forthcoming so we turned off to see Toul with fortifications by Vauban again (we met him on the Rhine he fortified Neuf Brisach and many other places). His fortifications here   only lasted 9 hours against the Prussians, and Toul also has  a spectacular gothic cathedral in need of renovation. Very pleasant town so by the time we’d had coffee and wandered around it was time for lunch.

Our waitress supplied us with ice so waterbottles were topped it was now 35C plus humid and noone was out cycling!I did think of having a siesta under a canal bridge but we kept going and I’m sure hubby would have refused ( He did say just now he wouldnot have stopped under that dirty old bridge…fusssy…). The highest temperature ever in this area is 37C one June so getting close, headlines are “brutal heat hits France and Spain.”

We decided to call it a day and find accomodation in Liverdun to visit the mediavel town. The only problem was the old town was at the top of the hill and we were down on the river. So up we cycled 1.5kms in the heat uphill had a look at the gateway to the old town and popped into the tourist bureau to see if she could find us some accomodation. Yes there was a bed and breakfast but at the bottom of the hill where we’d just come up from, nooooo!! The heat was getting to hubby as there was some nice language yet again when we were going up the hill.

We bought some local apple juice in the tourist bureau and she got cups for us to have a drink and then gave us a small cake each to revive us.

The Bed and breakfast is  on a junction of a cross roads so could be a noisy night, however good thing is it also serves as a gite so we have all the downstairs to ourselves and we are cool..The vivacious Madame said we can do what we like ….

 

Final temperature update it did get to 38C today a record for this area!

 

Les chambres de coco

54460 LIVERDUN

GITES DE FRANCE

meurthe et moselle

Nancy

03 83234953