Metz to Arnaville: Day 136

A day in three parts: a walk along the banks of the Moselle; a wandering route through villages on the valley side, and finally a walk in the woods.

Yes the GR5 is back to following the Moselle valley after a couple of days on the Lorraine plateau. Leaving the cathedral behind, the path ran right on the riverside. When I went to fetch some pastries for breakfast earlier I was walking against a tide of children on their way to school. Now it was dog walking time and not all the dogs were well behaved with some impolite barking when they met each other. The dog walkers, a few joggers and I were enjoying an area of parkland beside the river. Boats were moored to the riverbank and I could probably have skipped a few miles by catching the Metz riverbus.

Leaving Metz on a path beside the Moselle River.

Just before a small boat marina the GR5 turned inland, wandering up and down the valley side visiting adjacent villages. While the Moselle valley is much broader here than in Luxembourg its western side could still present a steep climb. There were reasons for these uphill excursions: an old church, a charming village and the Museum of Robert Schuman. I do not recall hearing of Schuman before but apparently he was instrumental in setting up the European Union (or it least the organisations that grew into the European Union). The museum is in his former house.

Between the villages there were a few vineyards and signs for the "Route des Vins". A dozen or so grape pickers were about. I also counted three "lavoirs", large concrete basins of water under a shelter where women washed clothes in the days before washing machines and female emancipation.

A lavoir.

The last of these villages had a boulangérie so I lunched on a chorizo bagel and a raspberry tart, the latter especially nice as the pastry had a slight crunch which contrasted softness of the fresh raspberries almost toppling off the top. One consequence was that for much of the afternoon I suffered from acid indigestion. My body seems to struggle with walking and digesting food at the same time.

Today's highlight was the remains of a Roman aqueduct which had signs, including an English translation, describing how they were built. An unusual design feature was that it had two channels, maybe so that one could be shut off for maintenance, while water could still flow along the other. Nearby was a memorial to the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, which France lost and in consequence was forced to cede Alsace and parts of Lorraine to Germany (regained after the First World War). Later in the day I passed a boundary stone that once marked the start of German territory. The "F" was clear on one side but the initial on the German side had been chiselled out. 

Remains of a Roman aqueduct.

For the third part of my walk today the path headed uphill into woodland visiting the Cross of St Clement (him who killed the Graoully I assume). There were showers as forecast, the annoying kind where, by the time you have put on your waterproofs the shower has stopped. The weather was too warm to leave them on until the next shower, I would have become wet with sweat instead of rain. Eventually I reached Gorze, a place of narrow streets enclosed by tall shuttered buildings. Many of the shutters had peeling paint and missing slats which gave the place a rundown appearance although some houses were making an effort with boxes of busy lizzies.

After more woodland tracks, beech trees with occasional oaks and hawthorn, I reached the road down to Arnaville, a village where I had booked a room for the night. Although I knew the address of La Grange des Oiseaux, from the road it looked like a small, inconspicuous house. However its name was beside a bell, which I rang. Appearances were deceptive. As the land dropped away to a small river so the building grew in size and from the back looked like a small chateau. 

There being no restaurant nearby I had brought some food to cook. The owner also gave me some bread and eggs. I am looking forward to an omelette for breakfast!