Horseback riding is their hobby. Carole and Robert Di Nardo have traveled thousands of kilometers on horseback throughout their lives. In 2006, they created the association Diabl en Caval which develops equestrian routes in the land of three borders. “The north Moselle is a little neglected, there are very few lodgings capable of accommodating riders and their horses. And without lodgings, no circuits ”, summarizes Carole.
This is all the work carried out by the couple of enthusiasts living in Boust: finding places of welcome, listing the paths, convincing elected officials. “We’ve been hiking in the area for years and it’s beautiful. There is an impressive biotope ”, continues the president of the association.
And convince. Convince the riders that north of Thionville, it is not only the Cattenom nuclear power plant and its chimneys that can be seen for miles, but many surprisingly rich landscapes and heritage, concentrated in a pocket handkerchief.
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“The bivouac is over”
Thus, the Diabl en Caval association affiliated to the National Federation of Equestrian Hikers, EquiLiberté, offers a three-day discovery tour, i.e. 90 km, which stops at the Château de Preisch (17th century building) in Basse-Rentgen. It then passes through the Méwinckel mill in Kœnigsmacker, a family estate dating from the 19th century, then through Sierck castle before a final stop in a farmer’s lodge located in Evendorff, a village attached to the town of Kirschnaumen.
“Over time, hikers have become more demanding. The bivouac is over. Today, they want more comfort, ”notes Carole. A real bed, a good dinner and a breakfast made with local products. “We also organize one-day hikes around gastronomy: a stopover, a specialty to be enjoyed along the way. The idea is to serve the main course in an emblematic historical setting such as the citadel of Rodemack or the castle of Sierck ”.
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GPX files
About forty crews took part in 2018 and 2019 before the pandemic interrupted the cycle. “We will take them again next year,” assures the organizer. The association whose priority is to promote, develop and support equestrian tourism in northern Moselle also provides GPX files containing all the GPS data necessary for hikers with, as a bonus, useful indications for riders such as road crossings. , bridges, the presence of tie bars for horses and picnic tables as in Boust or Roussy-le-Village.
Equestrian tourism is gaining ground. Slowly but surely.
[email protected] or Tel. 06 82 50 35 81
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