Lunch at Montmédy Citadelle.

Tuesday, 16th June 2015.  Another warm day with a mix of sunshine and clouds.  We decided to go to Montmédy.

On the way, we diverted to the village of Juvigny and spent a pleasant half-hour at its pretty river-side spot.  Everything looked so lovely and peaceful, I couldn’t resist capturing it yet again...

Something fascinating about viewing a river from a bridge!

While I take a short stroll along the river bank.

We then continued to Montmédy and headed up the hill to the Citadelle. There’s a lot of restorative work being done on some of the buildings and the interior of the church.  The car park is very dusty and old fireplaces and stone shelves can be seen - once the space must have been an interior of an old house or hall.

 

The bar, which re-opened last year, was sadly closed - perhaps only open in high season - so we decide to head for a café and have the plat du jour.  It turns out this was something we both had in mind but neither had expressed the thought, both of us deciding to “go with the flow” of the day.

It was such a pleasant day that tables and chairs were set outside and it being 12.30. most were full, but there was one at the edge which seemed to be waiting for us.  There were small and large groups of people inside too.

The waitress was very busy and we had to wait to order but it wasn’t a problem. The café is in the main square, grand houses around it, across from the church, and a  pretty inner square, with fountain.

Our drinks were welcome and the food was delicious and worth waiting for. 

By the time we had finished our leisurely lunch the indoor and outside tables had all but cleared but were soon re-filled by others looking for refreshment in the sunshine.

 This was not our first visit to l’Alcazar…nor will it be our last.

Out of the Citadelle, a short way down the hill...

 is a wash-house.

The interior has a dry basin…

 

...and some interesting, old graffiti! 

 

We did not leave our mark but headed home with happy memories of a good day out.

Laundries and Fountains - 5.

Saturday, 6th June.  Blue skies and a very hot sun.  Thank goodness for air conditioning in the car as we set out, after an early lunch, on a ‘magical mystery tour’ to find more lavoirs et fontaines.

Our journey took us south of Verdun.  We were pleasantly surprised to find unexpected old laundries on the way to the villages we planned to visit…

Chatillon-sous-les-Cotes...

The river behind the wash house.

On the road side of the building the water disappears underground and no longer continues above ground on the opposite side but, just along from the bridge we spotted this pretty house...

Then, on to....

The wash house is now dry.

Behind the building there is a skittle ally and play area opposite a war memorial and church.

Back to the itinerary…

This laundry too is dry and basin has a stone top, but the area makes a good hang-out for the youngsters. Two girls on bikes politely stopped cycling the circuit when I held up my camera but their younger, admiring brother, perhaps, still watched.  I thanked them as I said my 'aurevoir'.

Nearby - boys and their toys! Ron investigates!

We find a second wash house in the village...

My camera requests a battery charge!  Luckily Ron has his with him!!  We

continued our journey through forests, tree-lined roads and open countryside...

to...

Lots of gushing water here!

To the left of the building...

...and to the right.

We haven't seen this type of wash house before. There is machinery inside which can be used to lower or raise the floor depending on the height of the river which was used instead of a basin. The river flows behind and to the side of the building.

Then I did some old-fashioned map-reading to get us west, then north to our next destination and afterwards east towards Verdun.

The building was locked and windows covered but a bench outside in the shade was welcome.











We arrived back home four hours from the start time, having stopped off at a small farm shop in Bras-sur-Meuse for asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries.  A lovely afternoon through beautiful countryside, a lot of which was new to us.  And there are still more lavoirs et fontaines to discover!