We’re making our way to Le Havre where we’ll catch the ferry to
Portsmouth, approximately 10 hours driving.
Up early and ‘hit the road’ heading towards Trier, a pretty
countryside drive through the autumn coloured woods and over the hills to
Prum.It’s raining hard as we cross the
border into Belgium and the Ardennes region, very green and picturesque.In World War 11, the German army twice used
this region as an invasion route into Northern France and Southern Belgium in
the Battle of France and the later Battle of the Bulge.After a stock up at La Roche-en-Ardenne we’re
headed towards Givet, a very rural drive on narrow roads through farms and
forests, over rolling hills and ridges into the Valley of the Meuse River.
We saw a couple of camper vans parked at an
Aires on the River Meuse in the little town of Haybes near the Belgium
border.We crossed the bridge and joined
the campers.
07.10
Went for a recce of this elegant old martyr town and walked along
the river cycle path.There is a
memorial dedicated to those who died in 1914. There were 60 martyrs massaced.The Battle of the Ardennes was one of the
opening battles of World War 1. The
river has an 'eerie feel' covered in mist surrounded by hills partly hidden
by low cloud. Decided to spend another night here as the weather is not playing
ball.
In the evening we walked the
cycle path in the opposite direction to the pretty town of Fumey, 3kms
away.Two camper vans have joined us for
the night.
08.10
It’s cloudy but the rain has stopped.We drove inland through the hills catching a
glimpse of Fumey, passing farmlands and agricultural villages. Fields of good
cattle winter fodder, turnips and maize.The weather cleared as we by passed Quentin, into the Valley of the Somme,
war memorials and cemetaries dedicated to the Brits and Aussies, towards Amiens
where the cathedral dominates the landscape in the distance.
After 280kms we arrived at our chosen
campsite situated 100kms from Le Havre, ‘Camping Sainte Claire’ in the small town
of Neufchatel-en-Bray (14.40 euros inluding tax).We stayed here three years ago and remembered
the friendly owners, large grassy pitches with hard standing and clean, well
organised facilities. The location is
perfect to catch ferries to and from England and there are a lot of GB campers
here.The town is also on the cycle
route that was the former railway track which used to link Dieppe and Paris, it’s
the longest greenway and provides the
most services to cyclists along the way. We’re yet to do!
09.10 and 10.10
A big clean, wash and tidy up before Lefty is put into storage in
Chichester.Packed our back packs and
got organised in readiness to catch the ferry to Portsmouth tomorrow!
So this brings to an end our adventure for 2015!It’s been spectacular and Lefty has performed
brilliantly again.We’ve had great fun, great
weather, great biking and met some amazing people.
We saw a couple of camper vans parked at an
Aires on the River Meuse in the little town of Haybes near the Belgium
border. We crossed the bridge and joined
the campers. 
Went for a recce of this elegant old martyr town and walked along
the river cycle path. There is a
memorial dedicated to those who died in 1914. There were 60 martyrs massaced. The Battle of the Ardennes was one of the
opening battles of World War 1. The
river has an 'eerie feel' covered in mist surrounded by hills partly hidden
by low cloud. Decided to spend another night here as the weather is not playing
ball. 
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