Find your balance, on the walking & cycling path
I tested a Segway with Guy from Arden Gyropode
5 mins OF ESCAPE
It promises to be a day of fun: we head for Haybes, a picturesque village in the French Ardennes, to attempt a Segway excursion. After a few days and many kilometres of walking and cycling, we're thrilled at the idea of an electric motor making life easier!
In Haybes, we meet Orphée Danaux, as planned, a the Hotel Robinson. This proud ambassador of his region, the Ardennes, is the hotel manager and also proposes a number of nature activities such as hiking, lay-down cycling and, of course, Segway tours. It's his friend, Guy, a Segway fanatic, who will accompany us today on the paths around Haybes.
Quick introduction to the Segway
Orphée and Guy introduce us to the Segway on the Hotel Robinson car park. It's a strange exercise because you control the machine with your centre of gravity. It speeds up if you lean slightly forward and reacts instantly to any unchecked movement. But the body seems to adapt quickly to this mode of operation and, within a few minutes, we're ready to hit the road!
The village of Fumay, on the River Meuse. Once reputed for its slate, it now offers high potential for amblers
Discovery of the walking & cycling path
The Trans-Ardennes walking & cycling path offers 85 kilometres of waterside pleasure, between Givet and Charleville-Mézières. This is where our tour starts, opposite the lovely village of Fumay which nestles in a bend on the River Meuse.
A well-maintained tarmac path allows us to pick up speed and have fun zigzagging along, while enjoying a good breath of fresh air, here where the autumn colours are only just emerging.
The itinerary offers magnificent views over the river and its banks, where anglers and their reflections play with the surface of the water.
Our electric machines propel us on our merry way and the paths become our new cinema screen. As we travel along, Guy presents his region to us. He points out a local character: "Look at that fisherman and the cat behind him! Every time he sits there, the cat joins him." They form an original duo.
Fun in the forest
After a few kilometres, off we go, heading into the forest for a new challenge that's even more amusing: we go uphill and downhill, and over a few bumps which invite a rush of adrenaline to our tour.
Guy stops regularly to present some of the prettiest parts of these woods, which he knows like the back of his hand. There's a beautiful stone bridge, and even a cave where some of the inhabitants hid during the Great War. Nowadays, it's a hideout for some pretty scary spiders whose strange nests we can observe, hanging here and there like little bags woven to perfection.
We're amused by Guy's anecdotes but also by the usability of our machines. This trip offers everything: laughter, adrenaline, curiosities, and the chance to unwind in the fresh, unpolluted air.
Eventually, Guy shows us the highlight: a sublime viewpoint over the shiny rooftops of the village of Fumay on its loop of the River Meuse. This beautiful picture marks the end of our wonderful Ardennes adventure.
Try this experience
Arden Gyropode
7, rue du 24 août - 08170 Haybes - France
Tel: +33(0)6 82 22 76 59
This trip offers everything: laughter, adrenaline, curiosities, and a chance to unwind in the fresh, unpolluted air.