A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Charleville-Mézières & Deville

My first leg of this rowing tour of the Meuse river was no picnic. It had been more than three weeks since I had last been in a scull. On top of that, it was a hot, sunny day with temperatures in the low thirties. Add to that the fact that we were basically rowing a marathon or so a day and this was my first time rowing more than 12 kilometres at a time.

Overcoming Adversity

Needless to say, I struggled. Which, unfortunately, negatively impacted my rowing mates. By late in the day, my hands were slipping from perspiration. And my thigh muscles were tightening up so that it was becoming difficult to take a proper stroke. I persevered though, and was very thankful to, at last, see the beautiful boat house in Charleville-Mézières. Once safely on shore, I ate the nectarine I had left over from lunch. A juicy piece of fruit never tasted so good! It was also a delight to find these young rowers, washing the sculls that they had just used. A new generation in the making!And our support staff didn’t fail to entertain us that evening. For those who weren’t serving dinner, serenaded us with a variety of instruments while we ate. It seems that studying a musical instrument throughout one’s youth is quite common in Europe.

An Enchanting Walking Tour

We awoke from our peaceful slumber the next dawn to another hot day. We spent that morning on a fascinating walking tour of magical Charleville-Mézières. Not only are these amalgamated cities home to one of most beautiful Louis XIII-style squares in Europe, Place Ducale (twin to Paris’ wonderful Place des Vosges), they also boast the title of Puppet Capital of the World. You can discover more on these delights and others by taking this tour yourself in my post: Charleville-Mézières: Enchanting Twin Cities.

Back on the Water

Our walking tour complete, it was time to return to the boats. While we had rowed with mates from our own clubs the previous day, this time we shook things up, drawing numbers to determine which boat we would be in and who we would be rowing with. I was excited by this prospect as I looked forward to connecting with rowers from other countries. And so, for the second leg of this journey I ended up rowing with a fun crew of from the Netherlands and France. This row went a little smoother for me, thanks in part to the opportunity to spare off with the coxie for a spell. However, by the end of the day, my thighs were seizing up again. We were headed for the village of Deville. That would be our base for the night. In the meantime, I enjoyed the  pastoral views surrounding us. At one point though, the sight of a remnant from one of the World Wars shook me out of my reverie. It was a hulking concrete gun turret built into the river bank. As a North American, I am often startled by these vivid reminders of the immense suffering Europe endured during those bloody conflicts.

The Diversity of Deville

After traversing 28 kilometres and 4 locks, we arrived in Deville. Like Sedan: Champagne’s Faded Glory, this town too, exhibited a variety of architectural styles and showed signs of a more prosperous time. After a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep, we awoke to clear blue skies and a chance to appreciate more of the town’s beauty before hitting the water.

A Beautiful Morning Row

It was a treat to get out on the water in the cooler morning air and shade of the surrounding hills. It wouldn’t take long though before the sun rose, the shadows waned and we were back into record-breaking temperatures. The average daily high for this region in July is 24 degrees Celsius. However, for most of the week we would experience highs of 35 degrees or more. Add to that the fact that the locks become heat sinks and we were hitting temperatures of 40 plus. Still, you couldn’t beat the views!

The Canadians

We stopped for lunch in the middle of nowhere, pulling up to an open area by the bank. Here some familiar wildlife joined us. I had been surprised the day before to see Canada Geese on the river as I didn’t realize that they were to be found in Europe. Apparently though, a number of them were imported years ago and have multiplied, becoming as much of a pest there as they are in Canada. I was amused to hear one of my Dutch compatriots say “Here come the Canadians” each time he saw a flock approaching us. And buzzing away amongst a batch of wildflowers, I discovered a couple of tiny mascots. Good omens, for sure!

Our First Tunnel

Our destination on this day was the village of Haybes, a journey of 30.5 kilometres by water. And it would include traversing 7 écluses – locks. Today’s route had an exciting addition though, a tunnel! Not only would this provide a brief respite from the boiling sun, it would also give us a navigational challenge. For the width of the tunnel was narrower than a rowing scull with oars fully extended. So, in order to make it through, we had to pull our oars in a little bit, and row with our arms crossed, all while maintaining our balance. With a little patience, we all made it through safe and sound, and dry!Stay tuned for the next instalment of this beautiful and exciting rowing tour of the Meuse. In case you missed the first stage of this tour, you can find it here: A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Sedan.