The tone has been set and a good mood is guaranteed

The meeting point was given 10 minutes away from Épinal towards Lake Bouzey. Here we were, at the heart of a green paradise by the waterside where Lionel and Gaëlle were waiting for us with strange two wheeled machines.

Lionel warmly welcomed us and presented the activity. Before riding our vehicle, we were given a few safety instructions to make the most of this unusual ride. Helmets and flat shoes were strongly recommended.

The reliefs of the landscape, which we were going to travel, were explained to us so we could anticipate what was going to happen. We were going to cross forests and paved roads, chippings and sand trails. We couldn' wait to start our ride.

Riding on a self-balancing vehicle

The site is outstanding. The lake invites its visitors to contemplate its rich fauna and flora. The banks are equipped for everyone and, on our way, we crossed cyclists, hikers, walkers, families, fishermen, windsurfers to name but a few. This euphoric and delightful digression put me at ease and I allowed myself some bursts of speed. Our unwonted expedition caught people's attention but sadly our tour was soon close to its end. Gaëlle and Lionel pampered us and were also very attentive to our capacities with the vehicles. Time flew by and we finished too quickly. We look forward to doing it again during another season, to observe the colours in the forest surrounding the site.

We returned our futuristic steeds on imagining our next ride. On foot or on two wheels, we promised ourselves, we will return to this unusual and idyllic site.

The history of the Fortress

You may have had the chance to discover the fortress in Châtel-sur-Moselle through a tour. This unique fortified edifice in Lorraine was rediscovered almost half a century ago by a group of history and heritage enthusiasts. Prior to this, 300 years ago, it had been destroyed and buried under the orders of King Louis XIV of France. At that time, Lorraine was still an independent state. Five centuries of the history of the fortification vanished under French oppression, rubbles from the demolition and earth filling. This is how history is written, explains our guide René Elter, who is also an archeologist.

The genesis of a modern fortified system

We followed René, who lead us out of the basement of the convent towards the bottom of the fortress. There, we remained aw-struck while looking at the 7 to 10-meter high wall standing before our eyes. After walking around the monumental barbican, we found ourselves facing the artillery protection wall. René gave us details on the interest of this wall, which was a kind of consolidated rampart, built in the 15^th century to protect the 13^th century castle from the devastating effect of the powerful artillery that was developing in Europe. He added that what we had before our eyes was the genesis of the modern fortified system. While at the same time, the fortress had become part of Burgundy for less than a century. We walked through an archway to reach the back of the artillery gallery. Then, from there, we passed a labyrinthine series of staircases and underground corridors to reach the magnificent guard room and the gallery of archers. A door opened and we found ourselves facing the remains of the dungeon. Our journey continued with a visit to the vaulted rooms in the cellars of the arsenal and it ended at  the northern part of the double wall, punctuated by two rows of artillery towers bordered by a wide moat. Wow! It had been a 90-minute tour, a discovery and a trip back in time. We will send the children there.