Matilda on Tour — From Namur’s Stopover to Sunny Saarburg

Friday 7 March 2026 — Brugge to Namur

Day 6 — Travel day and first impressions
Namur, Belgium 🇧🇪

Before leaving Brugge we enjoyed one last evening in the city. We found a lovely local restaurant away from the busy tourist streets and the whole place looked beautiful as night fell — canals, lights and that unmistakable Brugge atmosphere

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Today was mainly a travel day as we made our way from Brugge to Namur, about 165 km (just over 100 miles) 🚐.

The weather was fabulous again — warm enough for T-shirts ☀️ which always lifts the mood.

After settling in we headed into town for a look around. If I’m honest, Namur felt a little underwhelming at first, probably because we had been so spoiled by Brugge. It feels much more like a working city than a tourist one, with people heading home from work or school and a very different atmosphere.

We did enjoy a good wander around the city, although Google Maps doesn’t always lead you along the most scenic route, so I’m sure we probably missed a few corners of Namur.

We found a lively café with a great atmosphere , so we stopped for a while and soaked up the evening buzz before continuing our wander..

Not far away we then stumbled across a great little Belgian bar full of character — all wood inside with tiled floors and signs everywhere — the sort of place you hope to find when you’re travelling 🍺.

Tonight we’re trying out an aire just outside the city. It’s free, with water and waste available for a small charge. Just a simple bit of ground within walking distance of the centre — perfectly fine for a stopover, but definitely a one-night place.

By morning we were ready to move on again, looking for somewhere greener, quieter and more us 🚐

Saturday 8 March 2026 — Namur to Saarburg

Day 7 — First ride along the River Saar
Belgium 🇧🇪 → Germany 🇩🇪

We moved on again today. Namur and the motorhome stopover weren’t really for us, so we were keen to get back onto a proper campsite and into a more rural setting.

An early start meant we were on the road quickly and arrived at the campsite early afternoon. With the van settled and the sun still shining, it felt like the perfect excuse to get the bikes out and go exploring 🚴‍♀️.

We’ve been incredibly lucky with the weather — another day of glorious sunshine, so it was shorts on and off we went ☀️.

We headed into the town first and were surprised by how large Saarburg was. Shops lined the streets and before long we reached the main square, where tables from the surrounding bars and restaurants filled the space. Above the town a church and castle sit high on the hillside — something we may explore tomorrow.

From there we continued on until we reached the River Saar, where a cycle path runs alongside the water. Vineyards climb the hillsides on both sides and although the vines are only just starting to wake up after winter, patches of green are beginning to appear 🍇.

The sunshine had clearly drawn people out — cyclists, walkers, roller skaters and fishermen along the riverbanks — giving the whole place a lively feel.

On the way back we stopped in the square and enjoyed a beer and a shared bockwurst 🌭🍺, which brought back memories of our earlier trips in Germany.

Leaving the square we suddenly realised we had no real idea which way the campsite was. A quick look at Google Maps soon pointed us in the right direction though, and before long we were rolling back through the gates.

It turned out to be a really lovely first afternoon in Saarburg 🚐.

Sunday 9 March 2026 — Saarburg

Day 8 — Cycling the Saar and a climb to the castle
Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany 🇩🇪

We had a lazy start to the morning. The sun was already out and it was pleasantly warm sitting outside the van ☀️. This really is a lovely site to relax in, tucked away with trees and hillsides surrounding it.

Following a route I had plotted, we cycled out along one side of the valley and up into the hills. The climb wasn’t too steep and once at the top we were rewarded with great views — followed by a wonderful long downhill run back towards the river 🚴‍♀️.

Back beside the River Saar the cycle path followed the water again. We passed a lock and watched a long barge cruising steadily along the river. It turned out to be a fabulous ride.

From there it was an easy ride back into Saarburg’s main square, which was absolutely teeming with people enjoying the sunshine. Luckily we managed to grab a table.

Lunch today was a pizza to share, along with a Radler for me and a beer for Richard 🍺. The name Radler comes from the German word for cyclist — the story goes that a Bavarian innkeeper mixed beer with lemonade when a large group of cyclists arrived and he needed to stretch his beer supply. It’s still a favourite with cyclists today.

After a pleasant hour people-watching we decided to ride up to the castle (Burg) perched high on the hillside above the town. Turbo mode engaged and off we went.

To my horror the road quickly turned into cobbles — not the best surface for a steep climb — but we kept going and managed to cycle all the way up.

At the top we parked the bikes and walked over to the castle, climbing the steps inside to reach the top. The views over Saarburg and the valley were fabulous and definitely worth the effort.

After that we made our way back down through the town and returned to the campsite.

Another top day 🚴‍♀️☀️🚐

We’ve really enjoyed our time here. Saarburg is such a beautiful place, especially in the spring sunshine ☀️.

Sitting in the square earlier, pizza shared between us and a Radler in hand, we couldn’t help but smile. Warm sunshine on a Sunday afternoon, people chatting all around us — one of those simple travel moments that I will always remember.

Tomorrow we move on again.