Esch-sur-Alzette, Burgronn

The route offers views of the former industrial area Esch-Belval, once the center of Luxembourg's steel production. Today, Belval is a new business and service center, also hosting Luxembourg's university. The associated state-of-the-art Belval-Université station is reached after the first 3.5 km of this hike. In the final section, from around Belval-Rédange station, the path rises by about 100m. The latter station is close to the French border. It serves the towns Belvaux (L) and Rédange (F). This hike ends at Belvaux-Soleuvre station. © Editions Guy Binsfeld

The Minett Trail is a 90-kilometer-long hiking route that crosses the Minett region. In ten stages, you can explore smaller and larger towns as well as eight nature reserves. These captivate with old forests and former open-pit mining areas. Their steep rock faces, red earth, and mine entrances make them unique in Luxembourg. The approximately 12-kilometer stage begins at the foot of the “Gaalgebierg” (translated as Gallows Hill), a grotesque name for a hill hosting the city park and a wildlife park. The “Escher Déierepark” wildlife park is publicly accessible and free of charge, where you can observe 25 different animal species or take your first break at the “Bamhauscafé”. The café also includes 3 treehouses where you can stay overnight. Just don’t forget to continue walking! The nature reserve “Ellergronn” surrounds the Gallows Hill, which you will now enter. You will pass by old mine entrances, a small mining museum, and the Ellergronn Nature Centre. Here you can get detailed information about this nature reserve. The Cockerill mine museum sheds light on the living and working environment of the miners of the past. Entry to the nature centre and museum is free of charge. Before reaching the village of Kayl, continue towards “Léiffrächen”, a well-known and popular pilgrimage site in Luxembourg. A small chapel in a grotto, where “Léiffrächen”, the patron saint of miners and pit workers, is laid out, has become an important pilgrimage destination over time and is inseparably linked to Luxembourg mining and the mining families living here. Right next to the pilgrimage site is the “Monument National des Mineurs”, a monument honoring miners who lost their lives in their hard work. Upon close inspection, you can see that some of the deceased miners were not even 14 years old. From the observation tower, you can enjoy a view over the entire area.

The route starts in Ellergronn heading up towards Gaalgebierg up to the animal park “Escher Déiérépark”. The park is freely accessible and free of charge. After ascending to Gaalgebierg, the path goes down through the forest again into Ellergronn. Here you pass a quiet pond and walk back to the Nature Conservation Center and the Museum Mine Cockerill.