Safe and Scenic
Alsace (France) Stage 2 – Sun 4th Sep 2016 – Nancy to Niderviller (83 Km)
Weather: 14⁰C min – 24⁰C max, overcast, some showers
“You don’t suffer, kill yourself and take the risks I take just for money. I love bicycling” ~ Greg LeMond
Today it was a joy to ride on sealed cycle paths or low-traffic secondary and tertiary roads for the entire 84 Km from Nancy to Niderviller. Leaving town was safe and simple, riding along the smooth cycle path that runs for several Km beside the Canal de la Mame au Rhin. Except for a few joggers, walkers, and cyclists, there is nobody around early on a Sunday morning in Nancy. Many would be nursing sore heads from all the revelling in town last night – the street noise persisted until well after mid-night. This is probably why one guest at the apartment hotel where I was staying reacted so strongly to the helicopter that was buzzing noisily overhead early this morning, disturbing his Sunday morning sleep-in.
Not long after leaving Nancy I passed through a village called Art-sur-Meurthe where hundreds were participating in a fishing contest along La Meurthe River. Pausing there for a while, I saw one fish of about 40 cm being dropped into the basket for weighing, but I don’t know whether it would be a candidate for the prize because it looked very much like a carp.
Alternating between safe roads and super-safe bike paths, I rolled along happily through delightful countryside (with cows, sheep and horses grazing) and through many appealing small towns, including Einville-au-Jard, Bauzemont, Xures, Lagarde, Moussey, Gondrexange, Ladange, Lorquin, and the delightfully named Schneckenbusch. One would have thought that passing through so many towns I would have found at least one café, bar or coffee shop open but, alas, I had to ride the whole 84 Km without any caffeine intake.
Only once did I have to make a route change on the fly. My original planned route had me following a canal path just after Moussey, but when I saw it was grass and rubble I rode back into Moussey to continue on the D40 then D89 roads (both smooth surface and traffic-free) which rejoined my planned route at Gondrexange. From that point the canal path, then Les circuits des Deux Vallées, followed by the Rue du Moulin & Rue du Petit Bois (D1048), made for excellent riding into Niderviller.
It was at Moussey I met up again with the Belgian couple that I was talking to while I was checking out of the hotel. Like me he is riding to Niderville tonight, but (unlike me) he has his wife driving the support vehicle. I found them sitting on a park bench finishing off a full-blown picnic lunch, compared with my meagre lunch of cashew nuts, dried apricot, and dried figs, consumed while sitting on a concrete block beside a canal lock. Coincidentally, they are staying at the same B & B as me tonight so hopefully I will get to talk to them over breakfast in the morning. I am interested in the idea of having a support vehicle!
Perfect riding conditions prevailed all day … except for the final 6 Km when the heavens opened up with a heavy shower of rain. Not to worry, it gave me a chance to check out my flash new weatherproof Madison Riding Jacket and I am pleased to report that it came through with flying colours!
And so ends a fabulous day of riding in Lorraine, France. What a contrast to yesterday!
Well done 84ks that is some hect of ride.one never know what the weather brings . Thank goodness you only had 6ks left to ride. Continue on the safe drive path