20260927 Rochefort

The ride from Namur into Rochefort was 61 km. Absolutely flat for the first half, followed by a climb to a plateau and then hills and descents (yay, coasting) for the second half.

(Obviously, it’s Patti chiming in here.)

But, first things first: our accommodations in Namur had been an AirBnB-type place, i.e. no breakfast.

We packed ourselves up, messed about with fussy locks on garage doors and dropping keys in appropriate places, checked ourselves out and found a Le Pain Quotidien (part of an excellent chain of patisserie-coffee shops) to have breakfast in. Highly recommended. They are consistent with high quality ingredients, great sour dough bread, and a long table where people can congregate and communicate.

As we left Namur we turned one last time to admire the rising sun’s rays on the The Citadelle where we had been, last night.

We rode for miles and miles on a boardwalk beside the river Meuse where people were sculling, water skiing (seriously?!?!?!), and even rock climbing on the cliffs on the shore across from us. There were also some spectacular properties on this stretch.

Once we had crossed an elaborate lock system (where Patti had a vertigo-episode, let’s be honest, a hissy fit) to the other wide of the river , i.e. the hilly cliff-y side, we began our ascent.

There were some quirky mountain properties along the way.

At a plateau we left some of Mum’s ashes with some happy cows in the sunshine.

TMI moment: I was conceived in Belgium, apparently. I think Muther would have approved of the moment.

And… here are some poppies, although we are not in Flanders. A small remembrance, with a backdrop of what I think are a fall harvest of beets. Much sadness happened here in these hills in the 1940s. I don’t forget that.

Hunters’ blinds are populating various fields and forests. Apparently it is the season for deer and boar hunts although we have seen none of those on our travels.

The food on menus is becoming more and more exquisite. I – Patti – particularly enjoyed my pig’s hock with crusty exterior in a restaurant directly across the street from our hotel in Rochefort.

OMG it was good.