Canterbury to Rome Day 17 to 19 – to Nancy and on to Strasbourg
It was after 2.00 p.m. on Sunday when I finally left Metz. I had to wait until after 10 before any of the cafes opened. I then had a long breakfast which seemed to merge into lunch. I took advantage of reasonable internet speeding in the café to upload some photos and videos. I so miss that high speed internet that I experienced in South Korea and the beginning of the year.
Canal
I left Metz following a canal. I am not sure if it was the right route, but it seemed to work okay.
After a while I was back in the Moselle proper.
On highway
This went all very well until I was passed a town called Pont a Mousson. I was following cycling signs when suddenly I found myself on a main highway that turned into a motorway.
I couldn’t find any way of getting off the road. At one point a van stopped. It appeared to be some sort of road maintenance van and the driver started yelling at me in French. He was clearly telling me that I should not be on the road. I told him in English that I “didn’t want to be on his F%&*ing road” and pointed to the river. I think he understood where I wanted to be and drove off.
Campsite
The girl at the reception of the campsite in Metz had written down that address of a campsite just north of Nancy. It took a bit of finding.
As I was checking in the Russian bloke arrived. He had left Metz a long time before me. He told me that most of the trail he took from Pont a Mousson was dirty track. I had obviously missed a sign.
As I was setting up my tent I got into conversation with a Dutch bloke who was erecting a huge tent next door. He hold me that he probably over done the tent given it was only for him, his wife and two small twins. It was so big I think he should be paying land tax.
Ride into Nancy
I was about a 20 klm ride into Nancy the next morning.
Nancy has a really impressive Square. I had a really good meal in a restaurant on the square.
Train to Strasbourg
After lunch I head to the railway station to buy ticket for the short ride to Strasbourg.
Hostel
I had booked into a hostel on the Rhine River. It turned out to be about 6 klms from the centre of Strasbourg.
Walk into Germany
I asked the English girl who was working on the reception where the nearest shops were. She told that the nearest shop was over the river in Germany.
I guess that is often the case in border areas, but it does sound a bit funny when you are advised to walk into another country to buy a tube of toothpaste and a beer.
Flickr Link
https://www.flickr.com/gp/twwilko_photos/J2YG60
Garmin Links
To Liverdun
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/845424145
Into Nancy
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/846498726
Strasbourg
billrider2013 