Tour de Grand Est - last day in France. Givet

On the way out of Revin we stopped at the bakery. Today is our last day in France, so yes, we got pain au chocolat for our mid morning snack (also known as second breakfast, or "eleven-sies")

As we left Revin, we noted the Spanish house, one of the last half timbered houses left here, built in the early 19th century.  On Rue de Victor Hugo.

Off to the river Meuse once again. (Cute cat)

The hills on each side of the river grew bigger this morning. 

We crossed over the river a couple of times, here there were some manmade falls and a lock (on the far left) and a beautiful long bridge just for walking and cycling. 

More Canada geese (these ones were being fed by locals so they were getting a little too close for our liking). Apparently they are called Bernache du Canada here, but I haven't had that confirmed by a local yet. 

At one point I noticed a guy on a bike ahead of us. It looked like a bicycle built for two, but I couldn't see anyone else. 

We eventually caught up and passed him on a hill climb, and I noticed the other occupant was a cute little dog. But I couldn't get out my phone while I was climbing the hill and I felt sad not to get the photo. 

But as so often happens on a bike route, we stopped for our snack and guess who cycled by us! 🐾

 

A few kilometers later we caught up to them again, because the little pupper was stretching his legs and running along behind the bike now (both going quite slowly). So adorable. 

There were more small towns along the way today, and they seemed to be prosperous. Fumay, Haybes, Fepin, Ham-sur-Meuse, and my favourite, CHOOZ. 

As we came across this bridge, and then came around to go under it, this fisherman was enjoying the sunshine and listening to an audio book. It is a very strange thing to suddenly hear an English accent telling a chilling tale of murder...along the bike path 😀

Coming out of this town there was a large wall, one of those made with layers of rocks pikes, with nothing holding them together. And the wall went on and on. And on..

At breakfast this morning we shared the common picnic table with a fellow cyclist. She is a pediatrician from Belgium, cycling to Troyes to visit her grandmother. 

She told us all sorts of local knowledge of this route including the fact that there is a large nuclear facility here. 

Her explanation included an eye roll, and a heavy sigh, as she said, leave it to the French to take this land that points right into Belgium, and use it for their nuclear facility 🤔

We could see it in the distance.

And then we were very close to it. 

Like closer than we have ever been to something like this.  There was lots of security and razor wire. No worries, we didn't want to get closer. 

Geographically we are surrounded on three sides by Belgium here and this is definitely a French peninsula into Belgium.  The res flag is the nuclear facility. 

We found ourselves in the industrial section now. Natural resource extracting. 

We happened upon a bike washing station (as part of the Route Voie Verte infrastructure), so we paused and showed our bikes some love. 

We are closing in on Belgium. Tonight our final stop in France is in Givet. There is a major fortification on the top of the hill as you approach the town. It doesn't look like much as you approach but once you get into town and look back you can see it. 

In 1555, Emperor Charles V built the Fortress of Charlemont. It is a French stronghold located near the Belgian border on the Meuse. It is a citadel, surrounded by a network of outworks. It dominates the town of Givet and when in use as a working fortress controlled the valley of the Meuse.

In World War II, Givet was occupied by the Germans on May 12, 1940 and liberated by the allies on September 7, 1944. By December 1944, 11,000 American soldiers were billeted in the ancient Charlemont fortress. 

Yikes, 11,000 American troops, all the way up that hill. The bridge across the river to the town here is called The American Bridge. 

Notre-Dame, constructed from 1676 to 1680.

Checking into our campground tonight, the young woman asked for our ID, and then said "Canada!!" and turned to us with the biggest smile ever. 

She says she has never had campers from Canada and was so interested in us and our trip and traveling. It was a very sweet welcome. 

There is a thunderstorm warning but nothing immediate so we are enjoying our dinner on a common picnic table. Campsites are so fun, everyone walks their dog around in the evening and says "Bon Appetit!" as they pass.  

Civility. 🇫🇷

Tomorrow we start our final stage. Into Belgium we go, headed for Brussels. 

Au revoir 

Bon Nuit.