Blainville sur l’Eau, France to Houyet, Belgium
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Blainville sur l’Eau to Houyet
Motorhome journey Blainville sur l’Eau in France to Houyet in Belgium
A cold start to the day here in Blainville, a very cold morning, 1°C when we wake but the sun comes up in a mostly clear sky and it soon warms. I am beginning to feel better but still not hungry despite no food for 36 hours. I drink coffee and eat a little breakfast and I seem to be OK. I go for a walk in the early morning sunshine, along the River Meurthe to the old factory on the riverbank, now derelict, telling a different story to the one I see today.
Over the river bridge with signs of a weir on the factory side, pouring gallons of water through its portal to continue its flow along the river. It is an idyllic and pastoral scene; allotments along the other side of the river with half a dozen people already there working the land, before the sun rises higher and makes it too hot to work hard. The plots are generally in good condition, dug over and tilled, no doubt with vegetables sown or soon to be planted out. I return to Hymer, Mr C. had made coffee, so we sit and plan our route for the day.
We leave about 11.00, north out of Blainville calling at Marie Blachère boulangerie and passing some very large railway marshalling yards. With G. driving, taking A33 north, around Nancy and onto A31 towards Metz we pass Pont à Mousson and the Aire next to two great rivers on the way. It is here, in a very watery place, the confluence of the two great rivers: Meurthe and Moselle that we stayed in 2025. Now leaving the Meurthe we begin to follow the Moselle, passing Metz and Thionville and into Luxembourg. We stop at the Aire at Bettenbourg and have lunch, topping up with diesel at €193.4/litre (under €2)! Back on our way with Mr C. driving, we join E25 a fast dual carriageway into into Belgium. Bearing west on E411 and on past Arlon, leaving E411 at it’s junction with N929 and driving the 8km over a mountain pass and down into Houyet (oo-yeh or oo-eh). Here we take Rue St Roche, past the tiny ancient church along the old cobbled road and stop before the river at the CampingCar Park Aire.
The aire sits at a dead-end by the River Lesse, where the railway enters a tunnel through the mountain. We enter through the barrier, €13/night including hook-up. There are 18 places and when we arrive 12 are taken. It is another gem, hidden away in a quiet backwater the only company is a flock of noisy Canada geese and the occasional train as it enters or leaves the tunnel. We park up, the pitches are big with our own rectangle of grass, so we put the chairs out and, for the first time this trip we sit out in the sun and rest enjoying the silence.
The Aire is relatively new (replacing the old one) along a north/south facing river valley with steep banks of conifer trees on both east and west sides, as we face the river (south) the sun setting on our left (west). Later, we walk around the site, down to the river and to a very old stone terrace with closed down toilets beneath (possibly part of the old campsite). Back at Hymer Mr C. opens a bottle of German Spatburgunder wine (a German Pinot Noir). I still don’t have a proper appetite so decline. He tastes, pulls a face and says it is disgusting! In fact it is so bad he pours it down the drain (never do I remember wine being so bad it is poured away!). We eat hummus and thinly sliced bread as starter and then sausage in a bun. Mr C. books a return crossing on the shuttle for 9.54 am Friday morning. Another early night as I continue to catch up on much needed rest and sleep.
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