Dieuze to Gondrexange: Day 142

A day among the "Etangs" or lakes (plus more woods).

Over breakfast the owner of the Chambre d'Hote attempted some conversation, in French of course. I guessed the questions she was asking by the odd word I picked up, a few seconds thought and my expectations of what people usually ask. Where are you from? Where did you walk from yesterday? We managed to get onto which kind of dogs my wife and I looked after, and I managed to comment on all the horse riding trophies she had. She said she no longer rode but I think she was pleased I noticed. Later, after packing up and brushing my teeth I returned to the kitchen to pay. My fellow, GR5 walker from Belgium who I met at the campsite at Vic-sur-Seille was having a late breakfast. The landlady and the Belgian seemed to think the 28 kilometres I planned to walk today was excessive, and as I started down the road my left knee agreed. However, the walk was almost flat with good surfaces so I reached my destination without too much pain, although after sitting for a while my legs became rather stiff. 

From the map in my guidebook it appeared that I would see lots of lakes today in an area known as "Pays des Etangs", but due to embankments and things like trees in the way I could only see the expanses of water on a few occasions. These reed lined lakes or "etangs" are artificial, the water held back by low dams. Created in the Middle Ages to supply fish, they also support birds and waterfowl.

Etang de Lindre.

Apart from lakes there was mixed farmland with a few fields of white Charolais cows. Just as on all the previous days of my walk there were plenty of woods, mostly with mature deciduous trees today, a village with no café and a diversion of the GR5. In some villages much effort is made with flowers. I saw some impressive displays in boxes on bridges, mostly red busy lizzies and geraniums.

Cow looking at me, another etang in the distance. 

Thinking that I was not using all my senses on this walk, focusing mainly on what I could see, I spent some time listening. After recognising that the countryside was very quiet, I listened more carefully. I could hear the sound of my boots as they hit the ground (different sounds according to the surface), a faint rustle of my trousers, a creaking of my rucksack. On occasions there was the sound of a distant tractor, or a breath of wind which made a slight sound over my ears and stirred the leaves of the trees. Twittering and chirping of birds in the bushes was there but rare. As I passed a lake there was the flapping of a heron's wings as it took to the air, or the more protracted take off of a cormorant. Mallards gave a "quack quack quack" of sarcastic laughter.

Towards the end of my walk the GR5 followed the Canal de la Sarre, joining the Canal de la Marne-au-Rhin. Fast walking on the tarmac of the towpath allowed good progress. Not as fast as the bikes that passed me (this was on the Eurovelo 5 route going to Rome although most cyclists were out for a shorter ride). There were a few old bikes attached to the ground in places as a sort of art installation. Two pleasure boats motored by, their wakes disturbing the opaque, green water of the canal, one took a very wavy course, an amateur helms person I assumed. Only on climbing up the stairs of a pedestrian bridge over the canal could I see that it was crossing a lake. The embankments between lake and canal, thin lines separating different water levels and hiding the waters of the etangs from people walking on the towpath.

Canal de la Marne-au-Rhin. Note the lake on the other side of the embankment on right hand side, out of view is another on the left.

I was somewhat concerned about the campsite at Gondrexange as the information on the internet was out of date and the reviews were poor. However the reception was manned by two ladies (who tried to speak to me in Dutch) the toilets are old but adequate and after some uncertainty as where I was meant to camp, I am now settled in. Needless to say the restaurant is closed, however I planned for that so it is tinned fish and tortillas tonight.

Etang at just after sunset.