I am not sure what surprises me most when I get off the train at Luxembourg’s main station – the sheer friendliness of locals who seem to greet everyone as they pass by with a cheery Moien (hello), and the fact that, from now on, I will be paying nothing to travel throughout the Grand Duchy.
Luxembourg was the first country to make public transportation free for all, including tourists, five years ago. So I came to see what it looks like in practice. I wanted to explore the vineyards on the Moselle Valley slopes, and trek through the forests and canyons of the Mullerthal area.
The 412 bus leaves directly from outside the station. The bus leaves the city behind, including the offices of Google and Amazon. No one asked for a boarding pass. In just one hour, you can reach Remich. This rustic winemaking village is located on a 42km (26 mile) stretch of Moselle.
Luxembourg has been producing wines in this minuscule region since Roman times, and today visitors can take their pick of 50 independent wineries, offering tastings of elegant rieslings, aromatic pinot gris, little-known local white grapes such as rivaner and elbling, as well as a dazzling selection of bubbly crémant.
You can find a variety of hotels and campsites along the wine route. I check into Remich’s smart Casa49 (doubles from €100), whose rooms offer fab views over the Moselle as giant barges chug past. Nearby, the first stop is at the historic Caves St Martin, whose excellent guided tours (from €9.50) are the perfect introduction to local wines. The tour takes us through a maze of underground galleries cut into the cliff side a century ago, where tens of thousands of bottles of crémant are aged, following the same complex methods as champagne.
You may be tempted to take a scenic flight one-hour cruise The Moselle departs from Remich quayside. I have booked an appointment at Domaine Kox, one the most innovative wineries in Luxembourg. Corinne Kox, fourth-generation winemaker, is a young woman who has a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. She says that hybrid grapes are preferred by the winery because they need less treatment. This means less tractor usage, and a reduced carbon footprint. “For the exact same reason, we only export 20% of our grapes, and we hire local families to harvest the grapes rather than using transient labour from abroad. She says that horses are preferred to petrol-guzzling tractor for working the land. The small 12-hectare (30 acre) vineyard produces a staggering 30 different wines, which visitors can sample in a blind tasting (five glasses for €20).
I walk along the waterfront to the traditional taverna at sunset. An der Tourelle The next village has a restaurant. Specialities include wäinzoossissGrilled sausages marinated with riesling served with Luxembourg fries and homemade KniddelenThis is a delicious comfort food that comes in large portions.
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The bus then drives to Ahn, an ancient village in Luxembourg, where one of the many hiking trails begins. The next day, the bus drives up to Ahn, an ancient village in Luxembourg where one of many hiking routes begins. Traumschleife Palmberg wine and nature trail This 5.6-mile trek takes you through vineyards with steep limestone cliffs on either side, lush forests, and ancient boxwood meadows. The route ends with a 5.6 mile trek that follows the valley of Donwerbaach River. You have to cross it half a dozen times using stepping-stones. After three hours we arrive back in Ahn just in the nick of time to enjoy a wine tasting. Schmit-FohlThe seventh generation of the family owns this independent winery.
Berdorf is located in the Mullerthal area, which the locals call Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland. It takes about two hours to get there, with a bus change included. It takes two hours to reach Berdorf, the centre of the Mullerthal region. Locals call it Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland. 70 miles of nature trailsMullerthal has become a mecca for outdoor sport enthusiasts. Trail-Inn As their base. “If you only take one trip, it must be this trek.” B2 trailGian Marco bartolini, our guide says: The 2.5-mile hike, which starts on the edge of Berdorf, makes for an unforgettable adventure – we weave our way through a labyrinth of forests and gorges, and canyons and soaring cliffs, which splinter into high stone towers separated by narrow clefts that you can barely squeeze through. The super-efficient public transport planner It is possible to get back on the TGV in Paris within an hour by taking the bus 211.
The trip was organized by Visit Luxembourg
