Hi,
09.00 Dep by boat for Pont-à-Mousson. Lunch at the Abbée des
Prémontrés and return to Metz by coach, cost (60 euros)
Farewell party with our Trier friends coming by coach. They were late because this is the last weekend of school holidays so Friday traffic was very heavy
It is raining, after three months of hot dry conditions which are having a drastic effect on the health of the tall trees.
May God smile on you today,
Elizabeth
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We walked from the carpark to the canal, where some boats were moored. We boarded the Val de Lorraine for a cruise up river and through two locks.
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The banks of the river gave us views of an eagle, herons and swans. Distances in kilometers are clearly marked. There are very few buildings close to the river.
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The ruins of the Roman aquaduct, beside a new building. See the straight lines of the vineyard in the distance. On Sunday we revisited the Aquaduct on the other side of the river.
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Pont-à-Mousson has roadworks on one side of the river, opposite the Abbée des
Prémontrés
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The Abbey has a long history of falling down and being rebuilt. It now caters for dinners - our party of 40 was in the small diningroom. After a long lunch we had a guided tour.
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One feature is the rosettes - 400 variations of the rose theme. Atlas was able to support the lower stairs, but they broke just above his head when the Americans bombed the Nazis who had occupied the Abbey.
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The original entrance has three doors - very symmetrical from outside, but two do not open because the interior is different (has stair well and a wall). The middle sized diningroom has this stunning painting on the end wall.
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There is a chandelier weighing 350 kgs with 1000 crystal pieces. Also there are these modern French chandeliers which do not take over. We ended the tour in the church, which has now been decommissioned, and is an excellent concert venue, and sometimes is the largest diningroom. The statuary has been kept, as a reminder that war is destructive.
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St Augustin is a reminder of the reason for the Abbey being built. It has also been a school, a hospital and is now a tourist attraction. Our group emerged to the street and a bus ride home to Metz
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The car park used as a meeting point is beside the University, and has a poster one side and the sign on the other side of the entry.
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