Luxembourg trip

[Phil]

Well worth a small detour if you are passing by.

I had a week off and intended going to Scotland via the Wales & Yorkshire Dales, but the weather forecast wasnt that great so went to Luxembourg instead. Fantastic roads, couldn't believe the surface quality on even the smallest roads. Northern Luxembourg is basically a high plateau of gently rolling hills given to arable/livestock farming, crossed with steeply sided valleys with small rivers/streams. Off the main roads there was very little traffic. Southern Luxembourg is more built up and busy on the roads, but still has some nice roads. Petrol €1.30 a litre.

 








I couldn't find a decent map of the country before I left, the country is quite small so on a map of Europe Luxembourg takes up about 1/10th of a page. Luckily, the owner of the hotel I booked (Hotel de la Sure) was a keen motorcyclist and the hotel was one of the first hotels in Luxembourg to offer motorbiking holidays. Nice place in Esch-sur-Sure. On booking.com it didn't mention this, so was a chance find. There was also a garage reserved for bikes only 200 metres away. Fantastic.
He gave me an A3 size map of the country, 1cm : 1.4k scale so quite detailed. Drew his favourite tour over it in marker pen and places to visit.  There was also an additional loop  around the lake if required.  On the day I did that I think I overtook 10 cars/tractors/buses all day.

http://goo.gl/maps/9SgjE

Food was a bit pricey there as it was a gourmet resturant, but very good. Trout (out of the lake), stuffed with salmon pate, crayfish bisque sauce etc. €22. 
Just down the road a cheaper bar, sausage and frites €5. They served 'Kwak' beer there, which had to be tasted. I didn't realise it was 8.5% proof until I read the label. Felt pissed after just one.



 

A couple of nights there then down to the south, before heading onwards to Eiffel area again.
I wish I'd stayed longer in the north of Luxembourg, its like riding around Cadwell Park.

Triumph Street and Speed Triples were quite popular around Luxembourg.

2 days of breezy partly cloudy days, 3 of scorching sun and 34c, 1 of thunderstorms and heavy rain showers most of the day and a couple more breezy partly cloudy days with the odd light shower.


http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/1949075986 

[Andy FZS]

I'm not envious.........honest I'm not, looks lovely glad you enjoyed it.

[adeejaysdelight]

Looks great Phil, and that beer... I'm off the the Rhein valley and Alsace in a couple of months. Taking in a day at the ring too, whilst we are there 

[Anarch]

Wow Now I'm much more optimistic about visiting Luxembourg after reading your post;


I've booked 2 nights in Clervaux, butEsch-sur-Sure looks amazing !
Can you recommend any places worth visitting (for the itinerary)

Thanks

[Phil]

Clervaux is in a nice setting on a loop in the river.


The map I mentioned which the hotellier gave me, earlier in the week I got around to copying by taking photo's. I split the map up into 6 bite size chunks.  He drew a good route on it taking in some of the best roads. It passes through Clervaux.
Let me know your email address and I'll send them. Although they are large sized (10,000 kb) as I photoshopped the to make them clearer. I might have a go at dong it again and making them smaller without losing printable quality.

This is a downsized version so I could upoad the photo so might not print off that clearly.



The 3 bumps he drew on the left were to explain that meant very twisty. Amusing that he drew it around a village called Bra, he wasn't indicating the women had 3 boobs each

In Clervaux check out the Abbey, castle and a couple of bronze statues off the main square. There is also a famous photo exhibition called Family of Man there, but I didnt go to that. I think it is a collection of portraits.

Vianden castle is must. They have spent €millions renovating it.
There was a war museum in Diekirch he mention, but I didnt stop to look.
There is also another castle at Bourscheid but didnt stop as it was getting very hot by then and I wanted a beer.
There is an area around Echternach, town on a river further south from Vianden, they call Petite Suisse - Little Switzerland - which is also worth a ride around.



 
The B410 from Clevaux to Prum is an excellent road. There is a bumpy stretch by the border but I think they are resurfacing it on the German side as it was shut with a diversion when I was there. It might be finished now.

[notoriusb.e.n]

Was out this way last year, Eifel Region of Germany taking in luxembourg, belgium and a snifter of holland. Really spoilt for roads out there, no matter where you go you will go with a grin. Countryside so minimal traffic, but the surfacing is second to none in most places and even where it is a bit bad, its still better than the pisspoor job we do over here. And boy, the locals CAN drive.