The Devil's Gorge and the Maginot Line

Today was a day spent largely off the motorways for me (Annie), travelling through forests and pretty villages up the border between France and Germany. While Chris was back at work today, I'm still heading back up to the UK following our holiday to bring the car back.

The start of my journey took me up the Maginot Line to see some of the old fortresses. I'd not heard of this line before a documentary earlier this year: an impressive line of military fortifications on the Franco-German border, built in the years prior to 1940 and designed to allow the French army to defend the border well, forcing any German attack through Belgium (if at all). There are many of the fortresses still standing, and very interesting to visit - some have large underground bunkers to tour also. 

Unfortunately, despite the line being very well constructed and defended, the Germans went round it and through the Ardennes instead. So it is now a phrase used as slang to mean "an impressive yet ultimately ineffective measure"... 

From there, I popped up past Luxembourg to visit a place 10 years in the planning: Teufelsschlucht (Devil's Gorge) Nature Park, Germany. A close friend had shown me photos years ago of an amazing place with high rock cliffs and beautiful trees, and I only got round to asking her a few days ago where it actually was. Luckily it was nearly "on the way", and wow - it didn't disappoint. The blip is one part of the stunning walk round the gorge - not a long walk, but if ever you're passing I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. 

Spiritual batteries recharged, I headed on to my final night's rest stop: the hill fort in Sedan, France. I was very happy to see, on my final junction before the hotel, two elderly gentlemen sitting by the roundabout chatting and watching the traffic. Very French! Unfortunately because of the complexities of Sedan's one way system of cobbled streets, I saw them twice again in the same direction, and once again when I came from the opposite direction. Does anyone remember the Pink Panther film? I expected to cross paths with a pantomime zebra...