What a domestic scene this is… But it is well-rewarded after the longest day so far.
I was woken this morning by Michael Jackson. Fear not, he had not come back to life to visit a campsite in the Ardennes at 5.30am; his music was being played at full volume from a car on the road next to the site by some annoying very late revellers.
Once you wake up in a tent, the chances of nodding back off again are minimal and I didn’t. So I got up, packed and was back in Place Ducale in the centre of Charleville-Mézières munching on a make shift breakfast quicker than you could say pain au chocolat. I looked over the maps and wasn’t sure where to aim for. Luxembourg seemed far too far away but there was nothing else that sprung off the map saying ‘spend your night here’. I did, however know that I should be heading in a general south easterly direction. So that’s what I did.
I followed the Meuse for a while but it wasn’t as spectacular as yesterday. The wide meandering mammoth in a steeply wooded valley had now changed into just a very pretty valley. The dramatic elements that I had enjoyed yesterday had gone.
Lots of nice little towns en route however. I jumped over to the next valley in my journey eastward and it became clearer and clearer that if I wanted a day off on a place where I would be able to do something, it would have to be Luxembourg. More tomorrow; my eyes are shutting sgain…