Bridge over Meuse in Ardennes
Bridge over Meuse in Ardennes
  • The village with three corners (aka Luxembourg)
    • 07/06/2022
It's that small country in the middle isn't it?
Yes, but there is more to it than just the eponymous city. The north contains an extension of the Ardennes ranges, into its own "little Switzerland", full of forests and steep sided valleys, and people effortlessly switch between speaking French, German, and a Luxembourgish dialect, such that you never know what language to start with.
I headed to Vianden, location of the most charming of castles perched on a lofty outcrop, and then next morning turned south, following a stream through delightful sandstone gorges with leafy forests and neolithic caves

Je suis Charly
Charly being a little steam train which ran between Luxembourg city and Echternach for fifty years. Now I'm following the route of the old line to get into the city. On the way, another cyclist comes alongside, a Belgian bloke who works at the European investment bank, but today is travelling to the city centre for a gathering of cyclists from all over the country, to take over the streets to demand better cycle lane provision and raise driver awareness.
So after a quick detour past the European Court of Justice, I had to join in, great fun and always feels meaningful to be part of a mass movement.
In general I've found their cycle lanes to be quite good, never mind that you are allowed to take bikes on buses, and all public transport in Luxembourg is free!
A little behind schedule, next stop Schengen - the village with 8 petrol stations, and more significantly, the location for the signing of the 1985 accord granting free movement. Schengen being chosen for its location at a border between France, Germany and Luxembourg.


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