Moselle Valley (Luxembourg)

Moselle Valley (Museldall in Luxembourgish, Vallée de la Moselle in French, Moseltal in German) is a valley in part of Luxembourg that goes from The Vosges to Coblenz, getting into France and Germany. It has been promoted as a quality white wine-producing region since the 19th century and Moselle wine is produced in the 3 countries. After the fall of the Roman empire in this area existed a romance language (Moselle Romance) till the 13th century. In Luxembourg it's located in Grevenmacher and Remich cantons.

How do I arrive to Moselle Valley?

 There are many ways to reach this valley, especially to Schengen, Remich and Grevenmacher.

• Train: the main train stop is in Manternach, 5.5 km north from Grevenmacher, and here arrive some daily trains (aprox. 40 minutes) from Luxembourg City. 
• Bus: there is at least 1 bus every hour to Remich from Luxembourg City (aprox. 45 minutes) and from Grevenmacher to Echternach (aprox. 40 minutes).
• Car: if you rented a car, Schengen can be reached from Remich (aprox. 10 minutes), Grevenmacher (aprox. 30 minutes) or Luxembourg City (aprox. 35 minutes). Grevenmacher can be reached from Echternach and Luxembourg City (aprox. 25 minutes) or from Larochette (aprox. 30 minutes).

 Once in the valley, the best ways of moving in the park are hiking or by bicycle. There are buses between Grevenmacher and Remich (aprox. 25 minutes) and between Remich and Schengen (aprox. 35 minutes) and Mondorf-les-Bains.

History

The area was first inhabited by the Celts and then the Romans, who arrived in 1st century built settlements like "Remacum" (Remich) and a castle in Mondorf-les-Bains. In the 8th century the King of the Franks, Pepin the Short ceded his crown estate to the Benedictine St. Maximin's Abbey in Trier and to Prüm Abbey. In the 9th century Muomina gave the little village of Mondorf to Echternach Abbey and in 882 the Normans destroyed the settlement of Remich. Fragments of the medieval town fortifications from 952 in Remich are still visible today (not in Mondorf because it was frequently attacked and burnt down). In 1687 the Remich's fortifications were demolished by the army of Louis XIV. Mondorf's thermal waters were uncovered in the 1840s (the spa's success attracted many French guests) and in 1866 the first bridge was built over the Moselle in Remich. After its destruction in WW2 it was replaced first with a wooden construction, then in 1958 with the bridge that still stands today. After WW1 a new spa centre designed by architect Paul Wigreux was opened in 1926 and in the 1930s, the hotels were occupied by émigrés from Nazi Germany. During the WW2 well-to-do Nazis enjoyed relaxing here and in 1945 it became Camp Ashcan (prisoner-of-war camp for senior Nazi dignitaries who awaited trial at Nuremberg). Mondorf-les-Bains' spa continued to prosper in the second half of the 20th century with an outdoor swimming pool, a new thermal centre and the Casino 2000. Since Moselle's canalisation in 1964, it's possible for boats to sail on the Moselle all year round. Schengen got famous after the signing of the Schengen Agreement there in 1985 between EU countries.

 

What can I visit in Moselle Valley area?

These are many things to do in the area of Moselle Valley. One of the activities that can be done is taking the pleasure boat MS Princess Marie-Astrid  in Moselle river, enjoying the valley from another perspective. According to the town where they are or the nearest one:

• Not far from Moselle river is located Mondorf-les-Bains (Munneref in Luxembourgish, Bad Mondorf in German), a 5,082 inhabitants spa town and commune placed in the French border. It's home of the only casino in Luxembourg  and has many Art Nouveau buildings. The main touristic attraction are the spa Mondorf Domaine Thermal (36 Avenue des Bains) and Mondorf-les-Bains Spa Park, a park created in the 19th century by Édouard André. It also has the Luxembourgish Aviation Museum (14-18 Wed-Sun), St. Michel Catholic Church (18th century) and a synagogue from 1907, Mondorf Synagogue.
• Only 8 km north it can be visited Dalheim (Duelem in Luxembourgish), a 2,262 people town where formely Romans lived and called Ricciacum. It has the site Dalheim Ricciacum (guided tours booking in advance), a Gallo-Roman vicus with dwellings and public buildings and temples and the ruins of an amphitheatre. 
• Grevenmacher (Gréiwemaacher in Luxembourgish): biggest town in the Luxembourgish part of Moselle Valley with 3,724 people.
  

  • Grevenmacher Butterfly Garden (11-18 Tue-Sun from Apr to Oct; 11-17 Fri-Sun in Nov, Dec and Mar; 9€/ 7.50€/ 6€  adults/ students/ kids under 12): tropical garden with hundreds of exotic butterflies from the tropics. Discovering the fascinating life cycle of the butterfly and the flora is interesting for both children and adults.
  • Kulturhuef Museum (14-18 Tue-Sun; free): museum about playing cards which retraces the history of playing cards with a special focus on the Dieudonné family that produced playing cards in Grevenmacher for 5 generations.
  • There's an interesting chapel, Grevenmacher Kreuzkapelle, and a 18th century church, Grevenmacher Catholic Church.
  • In case of going 5 km north the visitor will reach the 503 village of Manternach, where a beautiful trail called Dream loop-Manternacher Fiels (9.6 km) starts.
• Another important town around the valley is Wormeldange (Wuermeldeng in Luxembourgish, Wormeldingen in German), small and beautiful town with 2,836 people by river Moselle. It has a nice path, Weinbaulehrpfad Educational Path, that takes you through the vineyards and going past the St. Donatus chapel. Only 3 km north there's Ahn (Ohn in Luxembourgish), a small village (253 people) that has a nice circular walk to enjoy its surroundings
• In the 878 inhabitants village of Ehnen (Éinen in Luxembourgish), 3 km south from Wormeldange, can be found the Wine Museum (9:30-11:30 and 14-17 Tue-Sun from Apr to Oct; 3.50€/ 1.50€  adults/ kids), museum located in a 19th century wine house that shows the Grand Duchy’s history of viticulture. There's also an old forge, an office for weights and measures, a distillery and a cooperage. The village has the only round church of Luxembourg too, Ehnen Church, from the 19th century.
• Remich (Réimech in Luxembourgish): 3,645 people town in the border with Germany, considered one of the more picturesque and frequented in the valley.
  • Caves St. Martin (53 Route de Stadtbredimus): there are guided tours to these tunnels where the process to produce crémant is explained.
  • Remich Swimming pool can be a nice place to unwind and enjoy the sun in summer, specially for kids.
  • There's a nice circular walk around Remich that helps you to discover this town.
• Continuing going south by river Moselle it appears Bech-Kleinmacher (Bech-Maacher in Luxembourgish), a small 674 people village where the celebrated Luxembourg artist Nico Klopp was born. It's main highlight is A possen Wine, Toy and Folkore Museum (11-18 Tue-Sun from Apr to Oct; 11-17 Fri-Sun in Nov, Dec and Mar; 5€/ free  adults/ students and kids), a small museum that enables the visitor to discover traditional 18th and 19th century winemaker family life, as well as an exhibition of toys from past time.
• Just 4 km from Schengen it can be found Remerschen (Rëmerschen in Luxembourgish), small village with 726 people that some interesting places like Valentiny Foundation (14-18 Tue-Sun; free), museum with part of François Valentiny’s architectural and artistic creations (drawings, sketches, sculptures and models). Another interesting place is Biodiversum (10-18 from Apr to Oct; 10-17 from Nov to Mar; free), place where finding interactive exhibitions about the protection of birds and nature, biodiversity and the historical and geological evolution of the nature reserve and its region (its building has a remarkable architecture).
• Schengen: small wine-making town (4,812 inhabitants) which includes the tripoint where the borders of Germany, France and Luxembourg meet. It was also the place where Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 by France, Germany and Benelux Union. The tourist office has the shape of a small Sydney Opera House.
  • European Museum Schengen (10-18 from Apr to Oct; 10-17 from Nov to Mar; free): museum opened 25 years after the signing of Schengen Agreement. It has a permanent exhibition about the European Union and the Schengen Agreement. In front of it there's the Monument to Schengen Agreement.
  • Schengen Castle: 14th century castle which was almost fully rebuilt in the 19th century. The Baroque garden and the model herb garden are the only thing eneabled to be visited. Goethe and Victor Hugo where once hosted here.
  • Just in the bridge to cross to Germany there's a part of Berlin Wall and there's a 4.5 km path to the Natural Conservation Area Strombierg, with protected plant species and a rich wildlife. In the same point starts a route to the Nature Reserve Grouf, area covered by beech and oak trees the emphasis lies on natural.

Biodiversum

European Museum Schengen

Where can I eat in Moselle Valley?

The best choice in this region is enjoying the local products, that is to say, wine. Especially a kind of sparkling wine called crémant. All over the valley there are many place where you can get a tour in a winery (so you are explained how crémant is done) and then you can taste it. Some of them are a 1940 winery Caves du Sud (Breicherwee) in Remerschen, the famous Caves Bernard-Massard (8 Rue du Pont) in Gravenmacher or Caves des Crémants POLL-FABAIRE (115 Route du Vin) in Wormeldange.

Posted in: Europe,Luxembourg