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Driving through the south of Luxembourg and back home


Home -> Europe -> Luxembourg -> Travelogue Luxembourg -> 16 & 17 March 2007

Friday 16 March, driving through the south of Luxembourg and back home

Our balcony Our cottageAgain we have a nice sleep, on our last full day in Luxembourg. And the sun is shining again when we step outside, it is still nice weather. We have probably chosen the best week that we could choose for this trip, for next week snow is predicted! We do not skip a homemade breakfast on the balcony.
Today we have reserved for the south of Luxembourg, an area that we do not really know at all. If you are driving to France from the Netherlands, you will cross the highway and from Germany you will probably stay on the east and north side of the country because it is so beautiful there. The Gutland is best known for its fertile soil, but there is also a lot of industry and of course the commuter towns for those who work in Luxembourg City.
On the Tëtelbierg On the TëtelbiergVia Belgium we drive southwards, to the Tëtelbierg or Titelberg near Rodange, in search of the fortified fortress of the Trevians, a Celtic tribe. In the 1st and 2nd century BC they lived here surrounded by a nearly 3 kilometer long ring-wall. After that, Romans lived here for centuries, but in the forests we find few traces. In ancient times there were already mines where iron ore was mined, so a gold mine for the old arms industry.
Oppidium on the Tëtelbierg Spring has begunExcept for an elevation in the landscape (left) we do not find anything left the ring wall, but it is nice weather and we make a walk through the forest. Everything starts to sprout and flourish and we see a lot of flowers that think that spring has already begun. After every turn we hope for more, on a view, on prehistoric remains, but no, we are not that lucky.
Excavations on the TetelbiergOn the way back we see some ribbons in the distance and when we walk there a piece of land seems to have been surrounded with ribbons by archaeologists. Excavations are still being done here and this is probably an area that will be further researched this summer. The site is covered with agricultural plastic and there seem to be foundations and walls underneath. We keep control of our curiosity and remain outside the field, but to be honest, the area is rather disappointing after what we have read about it.
About the remainder of the day we can be quite short: on the smaller roads we visit the many villages in this area and stop at times in a larger town like Esch-sur-Alzette, Bettembourg and Mondorf-les-Baines, but nothing can inspire us to beautiful stories and we almost do not take pictures. It is too busy, too neat, too 'just not different enough' ... That is not to say that it is not nice and beautiful, but after the landscapes of the past few days we are disappointed. While traveling, we would like to be amazed by things, whether it is a lanscape, a building or people and that does not always happen, a well-known traveler's disease. We will just have to do with what we have and where we are and we wanted also like to see this part, otherwise we have not seen Luxembourg at all! We regret that Parc Merveilleux at Bettembourg is not yet open, a fairytale park where we would like to go.
SchengenMeanwhile we are diligently looking for a terrace where we can drink a cup of coffee, but for this area it is probably too early in the season because we do not find a terrace anywhere. At Schengen, the most south-eastern spot in Luxembourg, we drive to France and Germany, but no terraces to be seen there either. From France we still have a nice view of the 14th century castle in Schengen and the Moselle valley is beautiful when we drive north to Remich.
On a terrace in TrierBut when we also do not discover any terraces there, we decide to make a detour to Trier, there we know exactly where to find the terraces. It is less than half an hour away, but it has already been 4 o'clock in the afternoon and we have not had any coffee yet. Spoiled travelers like us are not used to that! Soon we find a parking space and on the square in front of the Basilica, a brick building from the 4th century, we sit down on the terrace. It is nice in the sun, but a bit less wind would have been nice. It feels a bit colder than the past few days, but who are we to complain.
After an hour in Trier we are ready to go home. Maybe today was a somewhat lesser day with regard to nature and cultural delights, but Trier has made up for that quickly. Now it's time for a piece of motorway to Luxembourg City and then the inner roads to the northwest. When we look closely at the map, we see that we have really have seen almost every big place in Luxembourg and also a lot of villages. After today's ride we can safely conclude that the south of Luxembourg is not really our favorite part, perhaps with the exception of the eastern border area that is part of the Moselle valley.
BigonvilleBack at Bigonville we have to take a last picture of the village from a distance. Like many villages in Luxembourg, it is built against a hill and there are only a few hundred houses. Even before dusk, we are already 'at home', for our last evening here. A final evening of rest, without TV or computer, what can life be wonderfully relaxing!
And to bed early again because we have to get up early for the first time tomorrow. But now we fantasize that the holiday is still far from over!

Saturday 17 March 2007, through Belgium back home

Today is the first day that we get up well before 9 o'clock, because by half past 10 the owner is dropping by. And when we wake up, we immediately see that it is time to leave: the sun does not shine today! We say goodbye to the owner and hit the road, first to Martelange for the last cheap groceries. And then into Belgium where the first raindrops begin to fall. Our timing couldn't have been better this week as far as the weather is concerned, until today we only had sunny weather and temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees during the day.
Breakfast at Tilff Square in TilffThrough the Ardennes hills we first drive to Tilff under Liege, a place where we had a great breakfast last year, then on the terrace, this time we have to sit inside. Tilff is unlucky because tomorrow there are extensive festivities planned on the square but the weather has completely changed and it is a lot colder.
Center of TilffThere will be a kind of carnival parade today (they just do carnival again), but we do not wait for it. We quickly eat our breakfast, which is not nearly as good as the last time and also a lot more expensive. We are in a different restaurant, stupid of course, we should have taken the same one as last time. But today they did not want to serve eggs, only chocolate croissants and we absolutely didn't want those.
Soon we are on the road again and our plan to stop at other places quickly fades awaya when it turns out that the weather is not getting any better. Otherwise we would have wanted to visit a few places in Dutch Limburg, but now we drive straight back home where we arrive at 4 o'clock.
It has been a short holiday, time has flown far too quickly, but we have again chosen a good week with the best spring weather so far. And no matter how small Luxembourg is, it is a beautiful country. And we are also fully rested, what more do we want? Well, the next holiday, maybe ... ?

 


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