Day 1 down to the Iberian Peninsular (Verdun)

A tour of the Iberian Wine Areas

This year we are off to Portugal, we regularly visit a wine merchant in Kiel and just prior to us setting off to the South, he held a wine tasting. This gave us some very good tips and ideas of the areas and the cities we would like to visit. I also wanted to go to some of the more out of the way Nature Reserves, these suited us very well as we would be coming from the North traveling South but not planning any thing South of Lisbon (Linda was flying home as she had to work, silly girl).

We set off on Thursday at about midday, this for two reason, the first being Linda had to work for a few hours and I had a clinic appointment for a scan on my shoulder. We headed off on the A1 in the direction of Bonn, arriving there just in time for dinner (good planning). Marga had made a wonderful meal, the boys had a few beers and the girls a few wines and then we hit the hay.

Morning arrived, as it does most mornings, we were up good and early as we are most mornings, up to the shower, down for the breakfast and then we hit the road in the direction of Luxemburg, for two reasons, one to fill up with cheap(ish) diesel and two it is the shortest route to the first real stop, Verdun.

Entrance to one of the underground galleries.

I have visited this City of Mayhem caused by man, the First World War, not with standing who was at fault, it was the start of the greatest bloody conflict known to man.

The Walls of the citadel

We first drove a short way into Verdun to visit the Underground Citadel, it has an interesting history, whilst playing a big part in the battle of Verdun it was built for a conflict long before that. The construction of the citadel began in 1623. The Kingdom of France was at had been at war with the Prussian Empire for many years which eventually lead to the defeat of France, they lost two of their states (Alsace and Loraine), making Verdun a front-line garrison city. Underground galleries were then dug under 16 meters of rock to store arms and men as a sudden reaction force if they were ever had need in a new conflict with there neighbours. The fortifications showed there worth in when in 1916 they became the Logistical Headquarters of the French Army.

In 1920 The French Unknown Soldier was chosen there in 1920 and remains of the soldier taken and buried under the Arch de Triumph in Paris.

We took a few photographs and then headed out of town via the Sacred Way, this is a road that led from the front line in Verdun out to the rear replenishment depots and barracks. Along this road came the ammunition and stores and troops in one direction and the dead, maimed and injured in the other. Today it is marked with white kilometre stones topped with a band vermillion and adorned by a small replica of the French Soldiers helmet.

Then it was onto the Motorway and through Orléans and onto our next stop near the City of Toures.