Dinant - Auvelais (Ravel)

Stage 3 of 4: Lobbes - Chimay - Dinant - Auvelais - Lobbes. This stage also mostly follows the RAVeL. First RAVeL 2 and from Anhée, line 150A. This route follows the course of the Molignée. In this way, we go from the Meuse (back) to the Sambre. The beautiful villages along the Molignée attract quite a few tourists in the summer. Along this RAVeL, they 'ride' in draisines (railbikes) from one station to another along the tracks. As a cyclist, there isn't much to be gained from it. After Maradret, it gets quieter. Here, you can briefly stop at the Abbey of Maredsous (800m from the RAVeL). The landscape in the second part of the RAVeL is more open. The town of Mettet is better left literally off to the left (dangerous large road). Fosses-la-Ville, on the other hand, is a nice town worth visiting. Unfortunately, all the cafés there are bankrupt and thus closed. That says a lot! A bit further, the RAVeL ends. Here, we go over one last hill to then make the long descent to Auvelais. Auvelais, along with about six other municipalities, belongs to the merged municipality of Sambreville. However, due to scatter housing, it gives the impression of driving through a large village. Sambreville is definitely a poor municipality. The confrontation with the consequences of the collapse of the old industrial centers around the steel and coal industry forces a certain reflection. Stage 4 will take us along the Sambre through this industrial area. The "beauty of ugliness..."