6/29 Bioncourt to Vic-sur-Sielle

The day began with difficult news from back home ( I will not elaborate) that cast an emotional shadow over the day. After the big storm of the previous night I expected a cool down in the AM. But it was still fairly warm and the moisture just pumped the humidity up. We packed extra water again to be on the safe side. Breakfast was beautiful and our hosts had jams from their garden. Over breakfast I mentioned the horsefly assault and Claude generously drove me a few minutes to a pharmacy where I obtained sunscreen as well as bug juice. Back at the B&B we saddled up and reluctantly left - always sad to leave such wonderful hosts. The classic GR 5 goes up the hill from Brin sur Sielle then drops into Attiloncourt only to immediately climb the hill yet again. Not wanting to start the day this way, we turned left then right up the street from our B&B which put us on a quiet country road that heads for a forest - the Bois de Bioncourt- crosses it and exits quickly where you junction with the GR coming up from Attilloncourt. When we entered the forest we noted trench works in the trees and Ethan and I checked out a bunker. We descended the hill into Gremency and climbed right back out, turned left down farm road, then entered another forest , the Bois de Gremency. Here more trench works, barb wire and a pill box. The roads changed to muddy trail, the forest felt dark, oppressive and buggy. After a long descent we exited along a wheat field and in the shade of a tree rested while eating our sandwiches. Down the open road finally a left turn crosses fields toward the wooded hillside. We crossed a stream and the inclination is to turn right following farm road but no markers were seen. I explored straight aged into the forest, where a maze of trail exists but no markers. The trail is marked and we found it finally  about 25 meters right of where  I had entered the forest.  The GR runs on the edge of the woods sometimes just inside the tree canopy-  sometimes in the border field  till you finally walk on road and enter Salonnes. After a curbside rest we headed above town on overgrown trail till reaching vineyards and descending into Vic-sur-Sielle. In the town square we we picked up by a pre arranged ride to the Chateau Alteville where we would spend 3 nights. More on this later. Considering how the day began it went well.