Summer afternoon in Verdun.

Saturday, 29th August - a very warm, sunny day.  After a lazy start and an early lunch we headed for Verdun.  It was busy there - many had obviously had the same idea and most, like we, headed for the riverside.

We checked out the route to the old, high town where we hope to take visiting friends who arrive next weekend.  Each time we go up to the Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace we get lost.  Maybe we should just follow the tourist signs. 

Then down through the narrow streets, parked the car and strolled through centre ville.

The trees lining the main streets looked pretty and provided some welcome shade.

Ron ponders the shell-marked facade of an old church - the wounds of World War One still show.

Repairs to the right of the Victory Memorial.

A children's roundabout to the left of the Memorial steps.

Opposite the Victory Memorial towards the river.

Beautiful architecture for the hotel - Le Coq Hardie - at the bottom of the street.

We made our way down to the river and Quai Londres.  The tables outside bars and cafes were crowded but we managed to find a shady one overlooking La Meuse - the river from which this area takes its name. 

Stalls and entertainment were aimed at children enjoying the last weekend of the summer break from school.

Does anybody fancy a second-floor balcony flat overlooking the river, quay and city?

We relaxed into the summer scene and each enjoyed a glass of cold beer while idly wondering who was being filmed and why...

We shall never know and it didn’t seem to matter...

but it seems I captured a hand of a guy at the next table!  

We made our way back to the centre, the car and home having very much enjoyed 

this sunny, summer Saturday afternoon.

Catching up.

Family health problems have mostly filled my time and mind lately, but today, checking out my camera, I found the following photos...

The sunset over the town rooftops on Monday 10th August...

From Sunday 16th August - when we sat by the River Meuse at Doulcon, looking across the water to the Dun-sur-Meuse side...

This afternoon, Friday, 28th August I took a short walk in the town and concentrated my camera on plaques and places (squares)...and the town's honoured people.

Between centre ville and the main road to Montmédy (Rue Carnot),  the square houses the Tourist Information Office - only open in July and August.









A turning off the other side of Rue Carnot...

There is no longer a chateau but we understand that two of the stone fireplaces in our house came from there when it was demolished.  Our house in built of stone and we think that probably came from the ramparts after they were demolished in the mid-1700s.


Back to the centre, by the Mairie...

...which joins the next place, in the middle of centre ville...

...which houses the Salles des Fetes built on the site of the old covered market...

...and opposite the hall, the birth-place of the town's famous painter, Jules Bastien Lepage - although not the house itself which was destroyed in WW11,

In the middle of the square, a small roundabout hosts a statue to the man for which the square is named...

The building, with the town clock, is the front facade of the junior school, which, in WW1 was used as a hospital by the German army who occupied the town.

On the left side of the square, a plaque commemorates another famous son, General Loison.

It is interesting to note that both soldiers, born in Damvillers, were contemporaries.

Further information here:  https://translate.google.fr/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.tourisme-damvillers.com/terre-d-art-et-d-histoire&prev=search

Lunch out

Saturday, 8th August - very warm and humid but cloudy and dry.  Indoors, a ’window of opportunity’ presented itself so we decided to go out for “le midi” al fresco and head to a favourite restaurant, L’Alcazar,  in the square inside Montmédy Citadel. 

When we arrived in the Citadel, the fountains were playing in the small place in the centre - and so was a busker with mostly French accordion music but also one startling break in the traditional sounds for a rendition of “Don’t Fence Me In”.  It seemed appropriate.

While this was going on the artists packed up their stuff and drove off, only to return half-an-hour later to set up again - their's was a short midi break!  They started painting again, some taking advantage of the pool of water at the base of the fountain which was scooped into containers for paint brushes while some young people straddled the fountain wall to reach for the tumbling water with which to splash hands and faces in an attempt to cool off.  

Ron brightened when he saw moules frites on the menu, then disappointed to hear the dish was only being served in the evenings this weekend.  Instead he chose jambon braise (hot ham) which was served with salad and chips. 

I opted for a ham and melon salad, which was also served with chips, and which turned out to be a work of art in itself.

The desserts menu was hard to resist…

A Coco-Choco

 

My refreshing lime sorbet.

A cat, which reminded us of one of our past pets, Buster, visited the diners but didn’t worry for food. Neither did he seems interested in doing so - we think he just liked the company. Buster used to visit all the neighbours too.

It was a delicious lunch and a very welcome break from the daily routine.