-
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…
-
A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Sedan
I’ve never been big on making New Year’s resolutions. However, early in 2018, I did set a huge goal for myself. Actually, the seed for this objective had been planted the previous September when I came across an exciting Facebook post. It was for La Traversée de Paris, a one-day rowing excursion through the City of Light! Imagine rowing past such iconic monuments as the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Rowing the Meuse I’ve been a recreational rower for about ten years and the prospect of such an excursion excited me immensely. So I shared it with a few of my rowing mates and then with our coach. Being of…
-
Charleville-Mézières: Enchanting Twin Cities
The morning of my third day on a rowing tour of the Meuse river dawned bright in Charleville-Mézières. The sun was shining and fluffy white clouds filled the sky. It was a beautiful day for the second stage of this watery adventure. A Wonderful Walking Tour But before my companions and I returned to our boats, there was a surprise in store for us. For we were guided on a wonder-filled walking tour of these historic and enchanting twin cities straddling the Meuse. Fortunately for us, one of our support team’s volunteers just happened to be a local history teacher. So it was he who lead us on this adventure.…
-
Château Fort de Sedan: A Torchlight Tour
High on a hill overlooking the historic town of Sedan, France, sits the largest fortified castle in Europe: Château Fort de Sedan. And I had the great fortune to not only tour it, but to do so by torchlight! Intrepid Explorers This adventure was one of several that I experienced while on a rowing tour of the Meuse river last summer. It was a warm Friday evening in July and our group of 80 had just met over an introductory dinner. And now we were at the château, torches in hand, setting out like medieval warriors ready to conquer its secrets. A History of Growth A castle was first…
-
Restaurant L’Echiquier, Sedan, France
Today a major winter storm whirls around me, blanketing everything in sight with a fluffy layer of white, meringue-like peaks. So I’ve decided to escape for a bit to a beautiful, warm, summer’s day. I was in Sedan, France last July and had one final evening to myself before embarking on a rowing tour with 79 other people. The tour promised bare bones accommodation (cots in community centre gymnasiums) so I was treating myself to a night at the fantastic Hôtel Le Château Fort de Sedan. I had been informed upon check-in that their dining room was fully booked for dinner that night. So I decided to look for a…
