People From the Region of Lorraine

We followed the Meuse River into the Lorraine Region of France, where we will leave it.
We stay in hostelsand campgrounds and meet wonderful people.
Below is Jan, an accomplished cycle traveler, who also is co-owner of a campground in France.

Kathy, above, put roses in our room in the hostel at St Maurice-sur-les Cotes.

Jean-François is a retired French policeman and a cyclist.

Nancy, in Lorraine, is the French Center for Art Nouveau

These are just shots from walking the streets.
Intoxicating use of tiles and ironwork.

Nancy Has Some Nice Places to Hang Out

Butte de Montsec; American Memorial WW I

Verdun Memorials from World War I

The American Memorial.

The ground is still filled with marks from all the bombing, below.

The Ossuary and Cemetary.

War Memorials From Three Wars

Preserved remnants from a French defensive site, bombed by the Germans in WW II.

Every town in the region has war memorials. Greatest casualties in WW I.

A residential yard commemorating losses in 1867 battles against Germany.

Verdun has many memorials, as it was the site of great losses in WW I.

The Rolling Plains of the Ardennes

Out of the Semoy Valley;Thru Managed Forests of Ardennes

Goodbye to Haulmé

Even though the neighbors, above, do not talk to each other, they both came out to say goodbye!
Below, Alan is hard at work preparing to leave (not really!).

Photos in the bedroom, above, and the view from, the kitchen table, below.

I took this picture as we set out, with Alan riding on adirt path along the Semoy.

Tuesday Morning in Haulmé, A Beautiful Day

A local hiking group, FEP above, arrives for a 25 kilometer hike.
The mists rise, below, as the chimney swifts wake.

The morning bread truck brings food for the people while the swallows snack on bugs over the river.

Hike to Thilay, along the Semoy

Town Hall, above. Stone house, below, shows the brick outline of the chimneys.

Fete de la Musique, First Day of Summer

We met our one friend from the area at Bogny at the music festival to celebrate the first day of summer. These festivals happen all over France; we joined in at Bogny, near Haulmé.

The kids, of all ages, loved the costumes and loud music of the featured rock band.

Martha and Alan, below, walking under the rock formation 'Four Aymon Brothers'