Discoveries
Looking down from the old city of Luxembourg Luxembourg: A little nation with large appeal Best known for its Sixties radio station and EU bureaucracy, little Luxembourg is an alluring land of fairytale forests and fortresses, reports Norman Wright t 34 CHOICE APRIL 2014 APRIL 2014 CHOICE 35 Discoveries t ILED TURRETS and castle walls emerged from the treetops high above the old town. Early-morning sun caught the Grand Duke of Luxembourg’s standard, flying proudly in an autumn bTreeze as a sleepy Sunday morning came to life with a few wisps of smoke from the cottage chimneys and the smell of freshly baked bread. The winding stroll up through the streets of Vianden from the River Our to the castle was one that the French poet and novelist Victor Hugo would have taken many times. The author of Les Misérables loved the Ardennes town and he wrote in 1871 after being expelled from Belgium: “Vianden, embedded in a splendid landscape, will be visited one day by tourists from the whole of Europe, attracted both by its sinister but magnificent ruin and by its cheerful and happy people.” Hugo wouldn’t recognise the castle now. No longer a ruin after being superbly restored from rubble following its transfer into State ownership by the Grand Ducal family in 1977, it is now fairytale rather than sinister. The people
are still cheerful and happy, though, if “Vianden will be visited one day 1871 Hugo, approaching his 70th Bart and Wil Peverelli, owners of by tourists from the whole of birthday, helped organise the townspeople the Grand Hotel de Vianden, are when fire broke out in the thatched roofs anything to go by. Europe, attracted both by its sinister of a dozen houses close to the bridge. With After serving an excellent evening meal but magnificent ruin and by its the mayor out of town, his quick thinking for our coach party Bart held court in the cheerful and happy people” in setting up a fire bucket chain from the bar armed with a guitar and an endless river and then assisting at the blaze repertoire of pop, rock and blues songs to Les Misérables author Victor Hugo demonstrated his love of the community. get everyone singing along. Hugo first discovered the town in 1862 Clockwise from main: Perched more So a spot of fresh air and a walk up to of his life in the town. On the bridge is during a trip through Luxembourg and the than 300 feet above the Sûre River, the castle was just what we needed the Rodin’s famous bust of the author, a Ardennes. He had further stays during the Castle Boursheid; Dancers welcome following morning. present of the French Senate. 1860s, extolling the virtues of the medieval spring in the town of Echternach. The Grand Hotel is in lower Vianden near However, Hugo boarded his wife and cobbled streets and the surrounding Vianden Castle emerges from the trees the riverside promenade. The castle is over household in the inn opposite, the Hotel scenery of the Ardennes forest. high above the River Our; The cobbled alleys of Luxembourg’s old city are the bridge that links the two parts of town. Koch, leaving him free to entertain his “Your town is not well-known enough; it dotted with gourmet restaurants On the corner next to the bridge is the mistresses, including an 18-year-old. is not known as it should be, I shall do all I house where Hugo stayed, now a museum Shortly after his arrival from Belgium in possibly can to make it better known and to
36 CHOICE APRIL 2014 APRIL 2014 CHOICE 37 t Discoveries
The River Alzette
winds through t contribute to its prosperity,” he later wrote. Luxembourg city The castle is now the most visited attraction in Luxembourg, so Hugo’s efforts have had some success. But this little country, a triangle between Belgium, Germany and France, is more famous in Britain for the pop music we used to listen to in the Sixties, despite the crackling, fading airwaves, than as a beautiful and interesting place to visit. In recent times it has also been a symbol of the EU, not necessarily popular with many. In truth Luxembourg should be a tourist destination for more of us. Its fairytale forests and castles, its history, both medieval and 20th century, and its food and hospitality are only a Channel-hop The garden quarter of Luxembourg City in the valley below the old city and a few hours’ drive away. It’s a perfect destination for a coach tour and many UK coach operators include plenty to offer. By the 15th century, “In truth Luxembourg should it on their roster. We discovered Vianden was famous for its artists and Luxembourg that way. craftsmen, the latter grouped into seven be a tourist destination for more Our Buzzlines Travel luxury coach corporations: the tanners, drapers, of us… only a Channel-hop and crossed from Dover to Dunkirk on the coopers, masons, tailors, locksmiths a few hours’ drive away” 10am DFDS ferry, also pretty luxurious and goldsmiths. itself. By teatime we were enjoying The Musée d’Histoire de la Ville de Bart and Wil’s hospitality at the Grand Vianden does just what its name suggests. and the German imperial court. In fact it Hotel. With someone else doing Take the stroll up from the bridge to is really a castle palace. the driving and an elevated viewing Vianden Castle, which was constructed In 1820, under the reign of King position, it’s a good ride through northern between the 11th and 14th centuries on William I of Holland, the castle was sold France, skirting Brussels and then up the foundations of a Roman castellum piece by piece, and as a result, it fell into through the Ardennes. and a Carolingian refuge. a state of ruin. It was a pile of rubble until Vianden is a good base to explore, set in Until the beginning of the 15th century the family of the Grand Duke of the north-east of the Grand Duchy, near it was the seat of the influential counts of Luxembourg transferred it to State the German border. Before you venture Vianden who could boast their close ownership in 1977.
further afield, however, the town itself has connections to the royal family of France The restoration is superb and a visit is t
Clervaux castle in the little town is the home of the Family of Man exhibition of 500 photographs by more than 60 photographers
APRIL 2014 CHOICE 39 Discoveries Passport to Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a popular destination for coach tours, being ideal for short breaks, with many of the coach companies which are members of the Coach Tourism Council offering tours. They can be found on the website: (www.findacoachholiday.com). Package prices for tours to the Grand Hotel de Vianden offer great value for money, with five-day/four-night trips starting from as little as £200pp and on average from less than £300pp. All generally include half-board hotel accommodation, excursions and of course travel by coach and Channel crossings, with departures from most areas in England, Scotland and Wales. The examples below are indicative of what is currently on offer for 2014 with prices including dinner, bed and breakfast and travel: n From throughout the UK, Leger Holidays has Silver Service five-day/four-night tours t well worth the effort in getting there church there is a very beautiful statue staying at the Grand on various dates this summer. Prices are from £375pp and (there’s a car park at the top). The views representing the Virgin Mary and the include a walking tour of Vianden, visits to across the town and the valley from the Child dating from the 14th century. The a vineyard, Luxembourg City, Trier and Clockwise from top left: The beautiful ramparts are stunning. Trinitarian Church was restored after a Echternach and touring through Little ornate Trinitarian Church in Vianden; As you walk up, you should call in at great fire in 1498. The maintenance of Switzerland, tel: 0944 846 0808, The Hamm American Military Cemetery the Trinitarian Church. The Trinitarian the left nave was a duty that fell on the website: (www.leger.co.uk) near Luxembourg city. Many casualties monks built the church with its two naves parishioners, whereas the right nave was From throughout the Midlands, Harry of the Battle of the Bulge and liberation n and its splendid Gothic vaults in 1248. looked after by the monks, Shaw has similar five-day/four-night tours lie here as well as General George They had been summoned to Vianden by Vianden boasts the only chair lift in the in 2014 from £200pp in April and from Patton, killed in a freak car accident Count Henry I, whose father had been Grand Duchy, from the lower town up to £300 in July, tel: 024 7545 5544, after the war had ended; Trier Cathedral freed from Saracen captivity by a hilltop at 1443ft and to enjoy a gorgeous website: (www.harryshaw.co.uk). Other a former palace from the Roman era Trinitarians during the Crusades. panorama over the Our Valley. operators to feature the Grand Hotel are Above the entrance portal of the From Vianden it is only a few miles Johnsons Coaches of Henley in Arden across the border to Trier, the oldest town n From the Home Counties, East Anglia in Germany with more than 2000 years as gave the stone a dark coating. The nonetheless charming. War, particularly peace. He is also at rest in Hamm and the South East, Motts Travel and sister a continuous community. remains of the Roman amphitheatre are in 1939-45, has figured large in Cemetery. company Crusader Holidays has a choice Founded by the Romans under in good shape and you can descend under Luxembourg’s story. Fighting was vicious Luxembourg City is itself an ancient of eight four-day or five-day tours (three Emperor Augustus on the banks of the the arena to see the areas where the in the Luxembourg and Belgian town with some striking new or four nights) during 2014 from mighty River Moselle, it still has splendid gladiators prepared and where slaves and Ardennes 70 years ago when the Germans areas, including the ultra-modern £219/£269pp, tel: 01255 425433, remains of the Roman period when it was wild animals were caged. launched their last desperate attack on European Union district of glass and website: (www.crusader-holidays.co.uk) capital of their Western Province with You can also see the ingenious their western front in December 1944. high-rise offices. n From Sheffield and South Yorkshire, mechanism the Romans used to flood the The ensuing Battle of the Bulge took After a brief coach ride around this to Wilfreda has five-day tours from £269 “You can see the ingenious arena to recreate sea battles. only a few weeks for the Allies to suppress see how our taxes are being spent, we featuring Trier, Luxembourg City and There are remains of Roman baths, the but cost thousands of lives of Allied and concentrated on the older parts of the city Vianden, tel: 01302 330330, mechanism the Romans used website: (www.wilfreda.co.uk) imperial throne room and the wonderful German troops as well as civilians, and on an easy walking tour. There’s plenty to to flood the arena to recreate Angela Holidays, picking up from cathedral itself, built on the site of a devastated towns in Luxembourg. see and some excellent restaurants and n sea battles” Clackett Lane and the Channel Tunnel, has Roman church. The Hamm American War Cemetery pavement cafés. a five-night/four-day tour to Vianden from Trier’s claim to fame in more modern near Luxembourg City, with its acres of rows Vineyards in the Moselle Valley are £269pp, tel: 023 8040 4536, responsibility for lands from Scotland to times is that it is the birthplace and home of bone-white crosses, is a graphic reminder usually on most coach tour itineraries and website: (www.angelaholidays.co.uk) North Africa. The Porta Nigra is the best town of Karl Marx. of just how many paid with their lives. on the way home many stop off in n From Scotland and the North of preserved and dominates the centre of Back over the border we toured through General George Patton was one of the Bastogne for Battle of the Bulge history or England, Glenton Holidays will be town. It was the main entrance to the Little Switzerland, a region of craggy victors of the battle when he wheeled his in Brussels or Bruges. celebrating Hogmanay at the Grand Hotel Roman city, a towering structure built forest, waterfalls, caves and rushing Third Army to the rescue. He survived Visiting was a real surprise, revealing on a five-day tour over the New Year with huge sawn blocks of stone. Its name streams but nothing resembling an Alp. beyond VE day only to die in a freak just how much a little state, often (from £449), tel: 08000 242424, came in medieval times when pollution The highest point is about 1500ft but it’s slow-speed car accident a few weeks into the forgotten, has to offer. website: (www.glentonholidays.co.uk).
40 CHOICE APRIL 2014 APRIL 2014 CHOICE 41