6/24 Pagny sur Moselle to Pont-a-Mousson

Today we left Metz for good and it was the first day for the kiddos carrying the full packs. We had convinced the kids to part with some weight in Metz but I suspected more to come. I out early and ran around for lunch supplies and finally back - tracking people carrying baguettes came upon a open bakery this Sunday morning. Lunch in hand I caught a quick breakfast with the group then saddled up off to the station for the
train back to Pagny. A beautiful weather start, we headed up hill caught the GR entered woods and after crossing a stream climbed uphill to Preny. Here are the ruins of a ancient chateaux which was the seat of the Dukes of Lorraine. Far reaching Views in the windy prominence but a cold place in winter I suspect. Down in the valley we saw the TGV zip by and soon the route descends and crosses the tracks then back into the forest.The trail emerges at a farm and the original site of the Abbey des Premontres which then moved to Pont-a-Mousson our destination for the day. We walked along open quiet road with views across fields and finally sat along the side to eat lunch. Then we dropped trough the village of Vilcey-sur-Trey and began the final ascent of the day. Going up the road I pulled ahead of the group but then they called me back where they were looking closely along the road. They were finding large lead balls in the road wash - bullets ? - more likely canister shot from artillery air burst! Shrapnal chunks were easily found in the road. We were approaching the WW1 battlefield of the Forest of Pretre. The French saw 7000 dead and 22000 wounded - the Germans the same. A mere skirmish by WW1 standards. And we came upon the overgrown trenchworks . Here there remains still impassable barbed wire. The area was moonscape after the battle. The guide warns against straying off trail as there remains unexploded munitions. We finally passed a large memorial before the descent to Montauville. It began sprinkling an we emergered at a massive cemetery where the dead were buried. The graves were distinguished for Russian or Arabic dead. It is a 3km walk into town and the kids were trashed again -painful faces. The rain was falling and nobody cared. Passing a bakery, we loaded up with food for the evening. We arrived at the Abbey - our destination. With its large comfortable room and bath tub / microwave kitchenette everyone was instantly very happy!!