6/26 Pont-a-Mousson to Pompey/Nancy

Using the topoguide, I decided it would be interesting to try the GR5F route today which is shorter yet ends up near our starting place when the walk continues. Ciera elected to chill her heels an extra day and enjoy the town, so the intrepid 3 train commuted back upstream to Pont-a-Mousson. At the station there is a large panel with the walking route and were quickly on our way. At a way marker we discovered we were also on the Compostella route which we hadn't see since Luxembourg. It was a beautiful warm day and the route was great. We walked open roads to Jezainville where friendly gardeners greeted us. Up hill along the road emerges sweeping views across fields of wheat where we paused to enjoy a snack. The patchwork of fields with red poppies here and there in clumps against a pastel blue sky was the stuff off paintings and the Lorraine I had imagined seen at last. We came to a bluff with another war memorial crowned by Jeanne d'Arc and then dropped into the old town of Dieulard. We past the ramparts of an old chateau. Had we peeked around the corner we would have seen more of it and a roman museum. We missed that when we saw an old church and intrigued we stepped into the musty place. Eyes finally adjusting to the dim light we appreciated the glass windows. But I was astounded to see two WW1 vintage bombs - duds I guess- strapped to the columns!! The iphone pic is grainy but you get the idea. We finally moved on, rested a bit out of town, then pushed on to the next town- Saizerais- where all was closed in usual afternoon fashion. We sat outside of the church and ate lunch surrounded by tombstones. Finally we pushed on and the GR5F leaves town and after crossing fields runs along gravel lanes flanked by woods and fields. Eventually crossing the formal GR5, the GR5F continued straight on then we turned left at some tennis courts to walk through the woods on forest road to reach the gare at Pompey. This was navigated using the iphone google map app. We waited with others in afternoon heat for almost 2 hours enduring multiple passing trains to for one  to finally stop. If I had to do it over I would have followed the GR to Liverdun where the stops are more regular. We finished the day at an Alsatian restaurant where the ladies shared a Limousine steak, while Ethan and I had brochettes of beef and seafood respectively. We had the abbey beer from the place we stayed 2 night before. And it didn't come close to the Belgian equivalents which Tammy and I really miss!