Category: Bike for climate – bike for peace

Cycle ride in the Toul region along the Moselle (France)

On 16 and 17 May 2026, the Ad Pacem committee organised a cycle ride in the Toul region, along the River Moselle. The small group met up on Saturday 16 May at 10am at the Villey-le-Sec campsite, situated between Nancy and Toul, on the banks of the Moselle. Almost the entire route followed the river through a green, rolling landscape. The cycle paths are well maintained and offer spots for a packed lunch or a break.

In Liverdun, situated near the Moselle between Nancy and Toul, the group stopped to visit the upper town centre with its restored castle.

River-based barge haulage was an activity practised along the Moselle until the 1970s. It ceased when barges could be propelled by diesel engines.

On Sunday, 17 May, the group visited a place of pilgrimage in Saxon-Sion dating back to the time when Celtic priests worshipped their gods there. Since the Middle Ages, it has been a place of pilgrimage for Christians. Today the basilica is dedicated to Our Lady of Peace.

A meeting had been arranged in advance with the rector of the site, Father Marc Haeussler, to discuss the theme of peace, which is important to the Christian faith. This meeting was appreciated by all, as Father Haeussler had prepared it well. The whole group was able to explore the theme of peace in greater depth, given the increasing prevalence of wars in the news.

After the service at the basilica, the group had lunch at the Auberge d’Haroué near the castle of the same name, sampling the local cuisine.

In the afternoon, a guided tour inside Haroué Castle gave to the group a sense of the grandeur and beauty of this castle, which has been in private hands for three hundred years. Prince Marc de Beauvau-Craon (1679–1754), a leading figure in Lorraine, a Grandee of Spain, Viceroy of Tuscany, and Grand Master of the Wardrobe to the Duke of Lorraine (1679–1729), undertook the construction with the architect Germain Boffrand (1667–1754). He called upon the finest artists of his time: the sculptor Barthélémy Guibal and the metalwork artist Jean Lamour, known for their contribution to Place Stanislas in Nancy, and the painter Pillement. The château, which houses beautiful and large tapestries, still belongs to the family of the Princes of Beauvau-Craon, who have chosen to entrust its opening to the public to the Centre des monuments nationaux since 2021. The château has some distinctive features: 365 windows, 52 fireplaces, 12 towers and 4 bridges.

This cycling trip allowed everyone to recharge their batteries, both physically and spiritually, whilst enjoying nature and well-preserved historic sites.

Bike tour along the Saar (Germany)

On 11 May 2025, the Ad Pacem Committee invited participants to a bike tour in the border region of Saarland. The tour started at around 9:30 a.m. in a car park on the outskirts of Merzig.

The tour then continued mainly through nearby forests and, in the afternoon, along the large Saar loop.

Break in Losheim am See

The group took a longer break in Losheim am See in the morning before continuing through the woods outside the seaside resort.

Lunch break in the countryside

The tour continued on cycle paths and country roads until lunchtime.

Short stop in the courtyard of the former Benedictine abbey in Mettlach

In the afternoon, the cycling group reached Mettlach on the Saar. Inside the outer walls of the former Abbey of St. Peter and Mary, there was a break with a short tour and explanations of the Benedictine abbey, which was important and significant from the 7th to the 11th century.

Around 676, the Frankish nobleman Lutwinus founded the Abbey of St. Peter and Mary on a flood-free low-lying stretch of the Saar River at the present site of Mettlach and entered the monastery himself, which was subject to the Benedictine rule.

The Old Tower

Nothing remains of the monastery building, and only the Old Tower remains of the various churches.

Around 990, Abbot Lioffin (987-993) built a church dedicated to St Mary as a burial place for the founder. This octagonal church, modelled on Aachen Cathedral, is now known as the Old Tower and is the oldest surviving sacred building in the Saarland. The Romanesque building and a relic of the cross acquired in 1220 are evidence of the abbey’s importance in the Middle Ages.

In the 18th century, the late Baroque abbey buildings were erected by the master builder of Wadgassen Abbey, Johann Bernhard Trabucco (1685–1768), who was born in Ebenburg, and the Saxon master builder Christian Kretzschmar (c. 1700–1768).

The French Revolution, but above all the First Coalition War from 1792 onwards, meant the end for Mettlach Abbey. The monks fled in 1793/1794. In 1802, the traditional abbey was finally abandoned. The current abbey buildings, which date back to the 18th century, were declared French national property in 1802 during secularisation. The entire estate was then sold to the paper manufacturer Leistenschneider from Trier.

Owned by Villeroy & Boch since 1809

In 1809, Jean-François Boch, a member of the third generation of the Boch family, acquired the badly damaged building and had it restored. He also had it partially converted into a factory. The building still houses the headquarters of Villeroy & Boch today.

BIKE RIDE AROUND LAKE DER (FRANCE)

A dozen cyclists from the Ad Pacem association met up at Lake Der on 28 and 29 September 2024 to cycle along the cycle path that runs alongside the lake and through a few villages. The whole team spent the evening and night in a house rented for the occasion near the lake. On Sunday, they completed the second part of the route, again on cycle paths and roads around the lake.

Characteristics of Lac du Der
Lac du Der – Chantecoq or Lac de la Marne is an artificial lake in north-eastern France. It is located on the border between the departments of Marne and Haute-Marne. In 1974, after 10 years of massive construction work, Lac du Der was created in the heart of the Champagne region.

The primary purpose of Lac du Der, its raison d’être, is its capacity to store 350 million cubic metres of water. Starting at Saint-Dizier, it regulates the flow of the Marne, a tributary of the Seine, which is the largest river in France. On the one hand, it reduces the effect of flooding in Paris and, conversely, allows boats to continue sailing during periods of low water. The reservoir lake thus limits flooding in the departments of Haute-Marne and Marne, as well as in the Marne and Seine valleys, all the way to the Paris metropolitan area. Lac du Der offers magnificent landscapes throughout the seasons. With the good weather on their side, the group participants enjoyed a wonderful bike ride.

The lake owes its name to both the Pays du Der, the natural region where it is located, and the village of Chantecoq, which was destroyed along with the villages of Champaubert-aux-Bois and Nuisement aux Bois, where only the church remains on the edge of a peninsula. During the construction of the lake in the 1960s and 1970s, it was given a nominal capacity of 350 million m3.  With an area of 48 km2, it is the largest artificial lake in mainland France, in terms of surface area but not in terms of volume.

Der Village Museum
Thanks to enthusiasts and also to preserve the memory of the past, the Der Village Museum was created so that the lives of the inhabitants of that time, their villages and the amazing history of their heritage would not be forgotten. From the school classroom to the church in Champaubert-aux-Bois, via a model of the village, everything is there to show visitors the history of the villages before they were sacrificed to the waters of the lake. Next to the old school, you can stroll through the Jardin du Curé (Priest’s Garden) or the Jardin des Simples (Herb Garden) to discover medicinal plants.

Around the lake
During breaks, cyclists were able to admire the natural beauty of Lake Der and the 300-year-old oak trees in the surrounding forests. Although the lake is artificial, it has helped nature by providing quiet areas for the 300 species of birds that have been recorded there to date.

Key figures

•    4,800 hectares: total area of the structure
•    349 million m3: capacity
•    20.3 km: earthen dykes with a maximum height of 20 m
•    2,900 km²: controlled catchment area

Half-timbered churches, an exceptional heritage
Around fifteen villages boast heritage treasures, some of which are over 400 years old. In the middle of this peaceful countryside are some unusual churches that catch the visitor’s eye. The group was able to visit some of the 11 churches listed as Historic Monuments.

The design of these half-timbered churches reflects a time when people chose materials that were available locally in order to minimise the cost and time required to erect buildings. In this region of Champagne, the only resource available was oak. As a result, all the buildings were made of wood, including churches and houses. In addition to being practical, timber framing was appreciated for its aesthetic appeal!

Cycling around Arlon (B)

On Saturday morning, 15 June 2024, a small group of eight Ad Pacem members met in the car park of Clairefontaine Abbey on the Belgian-Luxembourg border. This was the start of the second Bike for Future of the season, during which the team explored the cycle paths and stretches of national road around Arlon. It was a closed course (signposted loop) of 40 km, with the finish, at around 5 p.m., at the start car park.

After cycling through a number of villages and along country roads and tracks, taking in some lovely views, the group had their lunch break in a meadow with a packed lunch.

On the final stage, the group passed through Toenig and Sterpenich before a long descent, giving the legs a chance to relax, to the finish.

The sun, clouds and wind made for a pleasant cycling outing.

Everyone agreed that this outing was an opportunity to spend a good time together, discovering beautiful landscapes in good weather. Before loading up the bikes and setting off again, there was an hour-long visit to the Clairefontaine abbey site, including the ruins of the old structure dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, the medicinal garden redone in the old-fashioned way (as it was in those days), and the spring that (still) runs through the underground galleries which, in the Middle Ages, were a place of pilgrimage where believers sought healing for their ailments.

On the cycle paths near the three borders (tripoint)

Eight young and not-so-young members of the Ad Pacem association met up on Saturday 18 May 2024 for their Bike for Climate in the car park next to the church in Elvange (L). Although it had rained on the previous days, it stayed dry for the entire 45km route. With overcast skies and ideal temperatures, it was a pleasure to pedal through fields, vineyards and villages. But when the cyclists arrived in Remerschen, on the promenade along the Moselle, they were surprised to have to pedal for several hundred metres on a track flooded with twenty centimetres of water from the overflowing Moselle.

Schengen Museum

Our first stop was at the Schengen European Museum (L), which traces the progress of European integration and the establishment of the Schengen area of free movement from its earliest days. On 18 December 2007, the former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bronislaw Geremek, described this process in these words:

‘The abolition of the EU’s internal borders is a sign of recognition that all the citizens of the States concerned belong to the same area, and that they share a common identity’.

The museum’s permanent trilingual exhibition shows that the abolition of internal border controls represents an important step in the process of European integration. A 200 m2 exhibition area offers visitors a range of different themes, together with background information. Visitors can see the various customs and border symbols that characterised border posts between states before the creation of the EU. They were all abolished to allow free communication and movement between the different nations and populations of the EU.

Roman villa Borg

The cyclists then crossed the bridge over the Moselle to begin the long climb, on the German side, through the vineyards to the Roman Villa Borg near Nennig (D). On the way up, the cyclists passed a bunker that forms part of the Westwall built by the Nazis between 1939 and 1940. There are 75 bunkers along this 10.9 km stretch between the east of the town of Perl and the loop in the river Saar near the village of Orscholz.

Once they had reached the Roman villa, it was time for a lunch break and a packed lunch.

After lunch, it was time to visit the impressive villa. This complex has been completely rebuilt from its foundation walls. A visit to the residences of the Villa Borg gives an idea of the life of the privileged Romans two thousand years ago. The open-air museum with artefacts found during archaeological excavations, the villa’s magnificent baths, the harmonious gardens, the banqueting rooms, the gatehouse, the Roman kitchen and the Roman tavern invite you to linger a while.

Roman villa with the largest mosaic north of the Alps

After passing through more vineyards and woods, the next stop was the Roman villa near Nennig (D). It houses the largest mosaic from the Roman era north of the Alps.

The villa’s magnificent mosaic floor is one of the most important finds of its kind north of the Alps, and one of the few that can still be visited today at the original discovery site. Protected by a structure built around 150 years ago, the site is one of the oldest museum displays of archaeological finds in Germany.

The carefully structured mosaic spreads like a carpet over an imitation of black and white marble tiles. The mosaic was created at the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. It measures around 160 m2 on the floor and incorporates a well decorated with marble slabs. The mosaic was made using around 3 million small stones.

Just before visiting the mosaic, the group had stopped for a few moments in front of a mound forming a Roman burial complex dating from the 2nd century AD.

For the last 10km, the group was forced to make a slight diversions and take the main road. Heavy rain the previous day had caused a landslide that swept away several trees, completely blocking the way.

It was a very nice cycling trip to the ‘Luxembourg, France and Germany’ tripoint.

On Saturday morning, 20 May 2023, eight of us had arranged to meet at Bettembourg station for a 46 km bike ride on the cycle paths in the south of Luxembourg.

We first cycled through Peppange (past the former Benedictine convent) and Hellange, then crossed the French border in the middle of fields and discovered the villages of Hagen and Évrange on our way, as well as the monuments to the victims of the two world wars. In Évrange, we paused to visit the neo-Gothic church dedicated to Saint Albin, which is open to the public, and to admire the stained glass windows inside, two of which have war and peace as their theme. (The church was partially destroyed during the Second World War and restored after the war) .

After crossing the border again, we stopped in Aspelt near the Baroque castle and the bronze statue of Peter of Aspelt (1240-1320, Elector and Archbishop of Mainz), erected in his honour in 2021 on the square in front of the church. The sculpture in question, however, left us rather perplexed due to the artistic choices: Peter von Aspelt is namely depicted without any episcopal insignia and has a strangely androgynous appearance.

The lunch break took place in Dalheim at the foot of the Eagle Monument. This is a column about ten metres high, with a Roman eagle perched on top of a globe. This monument was erected in 1855 by the “Société archéologique luxembourgeoise” to commemorate the presence of the Romans in Dalheim, in particular the Vicus Ricciacum. Just a few steps away from this site, we were also able to visit the Gallo-Roman theatre on our way down to Dalheim. This ancient amphitheatre, which could seat about 3,500 spectators, probably dates from the 2nd century.

We then drove back via Hassel, Alzingen and Hesperange, where we had a last break at the pond in the middle of the city park. At 4.30 p.m., our group arrived back at the car park at Bettemburg station, the end point of this cycle tour, in ideal weather conditions.

29 April 2023

Twelve members of the Ad Pacem association met in the middle of the morning on Saturday 29 April 2023 on the car park of the railway station in Bettembourg (L) for a bike ride. After a rainy and cold start to the spring, this bike ride provided hours of fresh air from the meadows and fields.

Energy dependency
The association supports cycling, also in view of the current wars, which are often wars for the control of oil and gas fields or for the dependence of entire populations who do not have them.

Oil and gas energies are powerful levers of power in the hands of certain belligerent states, as is the case of Russia, which has long been a major supplier of these energies to Europe and the Ukraine.

It is true that cycling is only partly a way out of these energy dependencies. But it symbolises the ecological transition to renewable and healthy energy sources for humans.

Dead miners for the development of the country
After passing through Dudelange-Burange and Budersberg, Kayl, Tétange and Rumelange with its Mining Museum, the group took a lunch break at the place called “Léiffrächen”, at the foot of the National Miners’ Monument which commemorates the very many people who died in the mines of Luxembourg from the second half of the 18th century until the 1950s. It should be remembered that several young people between 13 and 15 years of age were among the victims of dangerous work in the mines.

The tour continued with the descent to the Ellergrond, a nature reserve near the French border, to Esch-sur-Alzette. The group then took the new footbridge of the cycle path that leads to the heart of the Belval site. After a short break, the group continued towards Lallange, Schifflange, Huncherange to arrive at the car park of the station of Bettembourg, terminus of the tour, around 4 pm.

Cycle paths without cyclists
With this cycling day, the association reminds all political leaders that cycling must be politically encouraged among the population. During the whole day, the participants hardly met any other cycling fans on the cycle paths, which were all in perfect condition.

9 October 2022

On Saturday 9 October 2022, the Ad Pacem association organised a bike ride on the cycle paths of south-western Luxembourg. 
Ten people met at 9 am to start from the station in Pétange. The group took several breaks along the 40 km route.
At noon, everyone had lunch in the open air. As the route was organised in a loop, at about 5 p.m. the whole group arrived again at the station of Pétange from where they had started. 
This outing through the fields and along the woods was another experience to rediscover the bicycle as an ecological, healthy and group way of travelling.

Fifteen members of the Ad Pacem association cycled together for two days on cycle paths in Luxembourg. This bike ride made people understand how much this means of expression reduces air pollution and climate change. And it brings well-being and peace to the mind, soul and body.

On the morning of April 15, they left the Glacis in Luxembourg-city by bike, taking the cycle path no. 2 which, passing by the red bridge and the Kirchberg, led them to Echternach.

The lunch break was at the bus stop in the small village of Rippeg. At the height of Consdorf there was the possibility of seeing on a landscaped square, just on the edge of the cycle path, the enormous American bomb, found in 1990, and which dated from the 2nd World War. The group arrived at the edge of Lake Echternach around 3.30 p.m.

Visit of the Gallo-Roman villa just behind.

The guide of the Museum explained very well the life of the inhabitants of this Gallo-Roman villa which was inhabited from the 1st to the 5th century of our era.

From the roof, which is also the terrace of the museum, you can get a good idea of the size and considerable dimensions of this farm and the land that surrounded it at the time. Inside the museum, the visitor can realize the importance given to the classical studies of the young people of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy as well as to the art of cooking at the time.

The site offers a good overview of the many details that the excavations have brought to light so far.

Evening dinner was taken outdoors on the terrace of the Echternach youth hostel.

Visit of the Basilica and the crypt

On Friday morning, everyone got on their bikes in the direction of Echternach where the group attended the 9 a.m. mass in the basilica. Afterwards, the priest Mr. Erasmy was kind enough to briefly explain the history of the basilica from its beginnings in the 7th century to the present day. He reviewed the various destructions and reconstructions that the basilica has undergone over the centuries.

Under his guidance, the group visited the crypt where the sarcophagus of Saint Willibrord is located, who evangelized this region by propagating the Christian faith there. He is notably the patron saint of Luxembourg and the dancing procession celebrated on Pentecost Tuesday to honor his memory has been on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity since 2010.

Around 10:30 a.m., the group left Echternach along the Sûre on cycle path n. 3. Shortly before noon a lunch break took place in Born, a small village near the Sûre. After regaining strength, thanks to a barbecue, the group set off again on track n. 3 to the port of Mertert to now take track n. 4 to Niederanven. It is precisely here that the route joins the cycle path n. 2 and the last kilometers of the course thus corresponded to the first of the day before. The arrival at Glacis was around 7:30 p.m.

Tired after these two days of cycling, everyone was able to realize how much, in contact with the air and nature, these physical efforts on the bike help to find relaxation and satisfaction.

But traveling by bike avoids CO2 pollution and reduces greenhouse effects. They support the desired ecological change.