Abreschviller

19 June 2015:  Our hike today from Landange to Abreschviller (17 km) involved too much walking on paved surfaces – it was after 1:00 when our boots first touched dirt – but there were nonetheless some memorable moments during the day.

For example, while walking through Aspach (a small village), we stopped to chat with an elderly gentleman who was sitting in the sun outside his house.  He invited us inside to see a collection of models that he had made.  Made with matchsticks, they were extraordinary!  He makes model vehicles, ships, and buildings of various types with incredible precision.  He told us several times that his work was unique, and we agreed!

And as we walked along the road away from Aspach, we got our first glimpse of the Vosges Mountains in the distance. We will start hiking in those mountains tomorrow – and we won't see much pavement!

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Master model-maker:

La ligne bleue des Vosges:

House with guardian stork:

Finally, some forest walking:

We paused for coffee in picturesque Saint-Quirin:

There was a good trail with some elevation between Saint-Quirin and Abreschviller. 

The Club Vosgien has marked a very dense network of trails.  We will see many different marks as we hike through these mountains.  Here is a sample, at the entrance to Abreschviller:

Abreschviller disappointed us.  The town has little more than some of the sleepy villages that we have passed recently. However, the Hôtel des Cigognes is very comfortable, and its restaurant offered a good dinner.