Easy cycling to Metz, apart from Maps Me

September 26
Luxembourg – Metz

I wake up early and have a light breakfast. I carry all my bags down and mount them on the bike. It is almost exactly 9:00 AM when I get into the saddle and start pedaling uphill.

According to Maps.Me, getting out of Luxembourg shouldn’t be a problem, but that turns out not to be the case.

Extensive roadworks, construction projects, and closed bike paths complicate things. Maps.Me doesn’t seem to be up to date. Eventually, I make my way out of the city and spot signs for Metz; then I know, at least, that I’m on the right track.

The road is fairly easy to ride but a bit monotonous. On the outskirts of Thionville, I stop for a quick coffee.
Then I continue through small villages with the Moselle River on my left. I follow it as far as Pépinville, where I switch to a long canal—the *Canal des Mines de Fer de la Moselle*—following it all the way to a point south of Hauconcourt, where the Moselle becomes my companion once again.

I arrive in Metz just before 2:30 PM; one of the first things I notice is a fountain in front of the Metz opera house and theater.

Finding the campsite, Camping Municipal Metz—located on the other side of the Moselle—is no problem; I cross the river via the Ponts des Morts bridge.

Rising up before me is a massive church or cathedral tower—impressive in the true sense of the word.

Just past the bridge, I turn right through a small park, and the reception is at the far end.

Getting a spot for the tent is no problem; The large green triangle I receive—which I have to place on or next to the tent—is marked with the number 122. The sun is shining, and the weather feels just like a Swedish Midsummer Day.

I quickly pitch the tent, get out my sleeping bag, and hang it on the nearby clothes rack. Then I go to the restroom; afterwards, I sit down at the bar—which hasn’t opened yet—and do a bit of Googling.

As usual, the campsite is full of motorhomes and caravans, though there are some tents as well.

While waiting for the bar to open, I take a walk into town to look at the cathedral I saw when cycling across the bridge.

Once the bar opens, I order a croissant and a beer.

It doesn’t take long for all the outdoor tables to fill up, and I sit there enjoying the beer and the lively atmosphere.

Then I head back to cook dinner. I have the luxury of a covered patio just a few meters from the tent, so it serves as both kitchen and dining area.

By eight o’clock in the evening, darkness has fallen; I get ready to wash up and then crawl into my sleeping bag. Tomorrow’s route to Nancy is already planned.

Just before half-past nine, I fall asleep to the sound of the *Studio Ett* program from Sveriges Radio.