August 9, 2025
To Val de Briey
It was a day of bright sunshine and warming temperatures that only hinted at what lay ahead – another heat wave coming from the south. That was a looming concern, but today I focused on getting back in the swing of life on the road.
The breakfast culture is not big in France – other than the typical petit-déjeuner offering of a croissant/juice/hot beverage; however, I’d recently spotted a few places serving more substantive fare, especially in the larger cities. So I decided to forgo the hotel breakfast and take my chance on the streets of Metz. While I struck out on eggs and pancakes, I found a nice bistro that served up a nice breakfast menu of coffee, juice and a giant bowl of muesli, yogurt with loads of fruit, all for a price nearly equivalent that of a hotel breakfast!
I managed to eat the entire bowl, plus a pain au chocolat, and tried to walk it off by wandering through the Metz market. It’s mirabelle season and mounds of the small yellow fruit were on full display – how could I resist. I added a soft pretzel to my lunch provisions and then headed back to the hotel to start this next adventure.
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| Heart | 4 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The first miles took me south along the canal path that follows the Moselle, a familiar route from last May’s tour. I left the river at Moulins-lès-Metz and after a couple of miles through the city I found myself on Chemin des Dames, a side-walk sized path along a small creek. I was a little unsure as to where it might lead, or whether we all might plunge into the creek, but it turned out to be much more pleasant that riding on the main street of Moulins-lès-Metz.
Beyond Moulins-lès-Metz, the route rolled up and down through a changing landscape of forest and hayfields. I found a shaded ditch on the side of the road to enjoy my market provisions, when a passer-by slowed to asked if I needed help. I waved him on with a thumbs up and a smile, always thankful for road angels even if I am not in need.
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Val de Briey was not my first choice for a stop-over – it was my only choice. I’d originally planned a route taking me past WWI and WWII memorials, but there were few options for nearby lodging. I thus resorted to planning a route based on where I could book a room and Val de Briey was today’s lucky winner.
The main part of the city sits atop a hillside, with a maze of steep and cobbled one-way streets criss-crossing the center of town. It’s the kind of place where you don’t want to make a routing error. A bit confused, I pulled into the City Hall courtyard for some shaded rest and route deciphering. On the map, the hotel lay between two streets so I verified the address and proceeded cautiously to a turn that would lead to the hotel. It was down a very steep hill, so steep people nearby called out to caution me as I prepared to make the turn. However, when told of my destination, they agreed it was the best way, so I headed down slowly on foot with brakes screeching all the way to the bottom.
And there was my hotel, making plans for a big wedding reception later that night. I just hoped I would be able to get a good night’s sleep!
Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 1,191 miles (1,917 km)
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