Well we finally made it…from Düren by train to Aachen/Rothe Erde where we rolled our bikes out of the station and onto the Vennbahn, which starts right there!

The Vennbahn is a former railway line that was built partly across what was then German territory by the Prussian state railways. It is now entirely in Belgium, because the trackbed of the line, as well as the stations and other installations, were made provisional Belgian territory in 1919 (permanent in 1922) under an article of the Treaty of Versailles.

For over a hundred years, the Vennbahn was the iron link between the coalfields of Aachen and the north of Luxembourg. But this former supply line also brought wealth and progress to this unique natural and cultural living space in the heart of Europe along the German-Belgian frontier.

A great view of the rolling hills of Belgium…

The view from our terrace at the Eifeler Hof Hotel here in Raeren…

It was another very warm and sunny day! Looks like the weather is going to change tomorrow. We picked up some salad fixings and smoked salmon at a grocery store right beside the trail along the way and are now settled into our BnB where we get to practice our French now that we are in Belgium!