The first part of the journey was very easy, quite flat ! A testing day for me as I am now cycling with clipless shoes. I am getting used to it though I needed to loose them a bit after a stupid fall. I uncliped one shoe but it cliped back just as I was going to put my feets down.
The journey took me through deserted roads, villages and a nice cycle path, the Herentals Ravel. The most noticable village is probably Lier just 15 km from Antwerp, with it's convents, beginnage and famous clock who went to the World Fair in New York in 1938. Between Lier and Aarschoot it is flat and farming lands around. After Aarschoot the landscape slowly changes to small hills but nothing to hard.
I stayed in a mini camping in neerlinter, the Leuuwerinkenveld paid 12 euros for the night. Clean and my only choice in this area. This camping is used by lots of Dutch cyclost on their way to France. Just make sure to shop before arriving at the camping, i didn't see that many shops on my way here, however there is a small store in Neerlinter 2 kilometers before the camping, it doesn't stay open late.
Lier's famous Zimmertoren
Neerlinter- Bende 90 km
I cycled 3 hours on smal deserted roads towards Hélecine then Hannut. After Hannut I cycled on the Ravel to Huy, very nice as it is relatively flat.
Huy is a nice city on the river and surrounded by steep hills unless you follow the river going to Liège or Namur wich wasn't my way. I struggled a little bit to leave Huy because on a new road they are building the deviation for cyclists. The hill is steep, I went through the woods then crossed the new road under construction after asking permission to the workers. Despite all the signs prohibiting entry to the construction site they kindly allowed me to cross, it saved me a few kilometers.
I then took main roads to Bende a small village near Durbuy on the top of a noticable hill at the start of the Ardennes.
Irene a a few friends have joined, we will stay three nights then resume my trip to Italy throiugh the Alps.
There is nothing but the sound of nature in this village, sometimes troubled by the far sound of a tractor. from bende we walked around, saw a wild boar, a fox and many birds. We stayed in the Gîte de la source in Bende. I highly recommand this wonderfull place.
Bende - La Roche En Ardenne 47 km
Small hill towards ... for 27 km, XIIIth and XVIII centuries farms along the way, then 20 km along the river Ourthe to La roche. No difficulties. The cycle path along l'Ourthe is quite nice, from the passerelle de Ronzon you can see the trouts in the river. The area is nice. Lots of artefacts of the second World War in the city dominated by a castle.
I stayed at the camping de l'Ourthe for 6 euros and 1 euro for a hot shower.
La roche en Ardenne - Mersch 100 km
Difficulties started today with the first ascent after exiting La Roche toward Hirshe, then 2 more hills untill the 500 meters of Bastogne and it's numerous war museum and exhibitions around la bataille des Ardennes.
From Bastogne I took a nice Ravel R7 towards Luxembourg to Wiltz. From Wiltz I went up and down to Esch sur Sûre, then I took a difficult hill very steep direction of Eschdorf then Vichten and Mersch.
Very nice forests area almost no one on the roads except a few farmers.
Apart from Bastogne and Wiltz I only passed small villages without cafés or bakery, make sure to pack enough food and drinks.
Camping 11,50 euros.
Mersch - Hettange Grande 67 km
The ride from Mersch to Luxembourg wasn't easy, lots of cars commuting to the capital in the morning, even on small roads. Luxembourg is a nice city worth visiting. I've been here several times and always discovered something new, I stayed three hours in the "ville haute" then cycled in the "ville basse".
From Luxembourg I went south towards France on small roads. I stopped at a gallo-roman site built in 60 AC, 10 kilometers from the border and realized that I was on the "via Aggripa". Ricciacum is open to public and free with some posters about the site.
I stayed with some friends Atty and Stephane for the night.
Ricciacum
From Hettange to Kédange I followed a few cycle paths. Then I took a road going up to Klang and Bouzonville. Very nice farming landscape with forests. Saw a fox. Bouzonville is an ugly city but it has some bakeries and a supermarket. For the last 30 km I couldn't find any coffee and was happy to meet Guus, a dutch cyclist, we both had a break at the terrasse. From Bouzonville I followed The road to the river Saar that I followed untill Saarbrücken and I took the Canal des Houillieres to France and to Siltzheim.
Siltzheim - Abreschviller 90 km
The ride was easy almost exclusively on cycle path, the first 40 km along the Canal Des Houillières then I took the D27 to Langate and Sarrebourg. In Sarrebourg I visited the museum for it's Chagall tapistry and admired Chagall's vitrail at the church however the museum holds a nice archeological display. From Sarrebourg I cycled to Lorquin and Abreschviller along a canal and on cycle path. Abreschviller is a small village without a pub but with two butcher, go figure ! Nothing to do here but a train ride in forest.
Camping municipal 5,70 euros
Abreschviller - Rouffach 120 km
The best ride so far despite the heavy rain and the cold. It first started in the Bosges with the ascent of the Col du Donon, 2 hours of suffering under a cold rain. However I found the way between Ardenne-sur-Roche and Bastogne more difficult. After the Col du Donon I went to the col de Steige on the department road then started going down to Vilé, from Vilé I took a cycle path and followed the Route des vins to Colmar. Nice city center. Then I kept going through the wine route to Rouffach, nice Alsacian village with storks everywhere on the roofs.
Camping is 0 euros as no one was there to collect the money. When I arrived or when I left
I left the wine area to the farming land of Alsace, in Munchouse I took a cycle path through the forest until Pont du Bouc. From pont du bouc I followed the Rhone - Rhin canal and the canal de Huningue almost all the way to Basel. At 8 km from Basel I took the road to Oltingue where I surprised an old friend Silvio and Brinda his wife. The reunion was great and if you feel like having italian in the area I highly suggest you to stop by in Silvio's restaurant Lucania in Oltingue and say hello on my behalf, the pizzas are excellent. As a matter of fact I went there again in the evening with an other friend, Jim. I am going to spend 2 nights at Jim's before the next part of my travel through Switzerland, Austria, lichtenstein and Italy.
Canal de Huningue
Basel 20 km around and in the city
One day rest in Basel. After a coffee with some "stay at home men" refreshing my german, I visited the charming old town of Basel. My best surprise though was the Gauguin exhibition at the Beyeler fondation, mainly the Tahitian period and a few early paintings from Brittany. On a second room, they had a few Calder, a Henri Rousseau painting and an other exhibition of Marlene Dumas. It is worth travelling to Basel just for Paul Gauguin and Marlene Dumas, lots of good vibration here.
German lesson in Basel with Stay at home Dads
When are you getting married ?
