Luxembourg - A Strategic Base for Visiting France, Germany and Belgium

Last June, my husband Bill and I went to Luxembourg, a tiny European country I never thought I'd see. Our decision to visit Luxembourg stemmed out of practicality more than anything else. We were living in Germany and trying to see as much of Europe as possible before it was time to move back to the United States. My birthday was coming up. Bill suggested that we visit the Champagne region in France. Unfortunately, June seems to be a very popular time of year for people to visit the Champagne region. We had trouble finding a hotel. I started trying to come up with alternatives. Suddenly, it came to me... why not visit Luxembourg?

Why Luxembourg?

Luxembourg is a tiny country nestled among three more popular European destinations: France, Germany, and Belgium. It was within driving distance of the town where we were living and I figured I'd probably never choose to visit Luxembourg from the United States. What's more, the area where Luxembourg is located is quite beautiful.

When I mentioned to a European friend that I was planning to visit Luxembourg for a long weekend, he laughed and said there was nothing in Luxembourg but banks! But I figured as long as it was pretty and there was good food to be had, I wouldn't have any problems. So Bill and I drove to Luxembourg from Pfaffingen, Germany, which was where we were living.

First impressions

My first impressions of Luxembourg were favorable. The countryside was lush and green. The roads were well maintained. The signs were in French, but I could see some German influences as well. We pulled into Luxembourg City after about five hours of driving and found our hotel, the Sofitel, in the Kirchberg section of Luxembourg's capital. This hotel, while nice enough, wasn't the best choice for visiting Luxembourg City. Kirchberg is sort of the business and government section of Luxembourg City and it's not in the most convenient location for walking into town or getting a bite to eat. Luckily, there are plenty of public transportation options in Luxembourg City. There is a bus stop right next to the Sofitel.

Bill and I were upgraded to a suite, possibly because the hotel was relatively empty. Again, it was located in the business section of the city and there weren't a lot of people staying there over the weekend.

Walking to town

After dropping off our luggage, we started walking toward Luxembourg's city center. It took about twenty minutes and involved walking alongside a major highway and past several large buildings. We crossed a bridge that was protected on both sides by plexiglass with bird stickers on them. I guess that was to keep people from jumping off the bridge and prevent birds from accidentally flying into the plexiglass barrier.

Once we got to the end of the highway, we turned left and very soon, we were in the middle of Luxembourg City's charming center. The city was lightly populated; I didn't hear any other American accents in our midst. However, the weather was beautiful, there was a band playing live music under a gazebo. There were outdoor cafes on every corner. Gazing around the landscape, I saw the beautiful architecture of old buildings mixed with the newer influences of modern living. Bill and I found a small bistro and enjoyed a nice meal. It was at our first restaurant that we discovered one of Luxembourg's more popular dishes, tartare.

Tartare

Tartare is a preparation of finely chopped raw meat or fish, optionally served with seasonings. Tartare can be prepared with beef, venison, salmon, or tuna. We found some variation of tartare of just about every menu we encountered while visiting Luxembourg and the surrounding regions. Bill was brave enough to order it one night, though I don't think he liked it enough to try ordering it again.

Day 2- Arlon, Belgium

I have a rather unusual style of traveling. Instead of going to a lot of tourist attractions, I like to get out and wander. Sometimes I do it on foot. Sometimes I do it in a car. Other times, I get on a train and get off whenever I feel like it... okay, so I only did that when I had a Eurail pass that allowed for unlimited travel. Anyway, I like to travel this way because I often end up in unexpected places. And on the first full day of our time in Luxembourg, I decided I wanted to get in the car and drive. So Bill and I got in the car and started traveling. Within a half an hour, we were crossing the Belgian border!

After driving through some beautiful villages and verdant forests, we stopped in the city of Arlon. Arlon is a small city very close to the border. We took our time getting there because we were enjoying the drive so much. We parked our car in a public pay lot and started walking around. Before too long, we ended up in the centrum. It was about time for lunch and I was more than ready for a Belgian beer. Much to my great delight, the staff at the restaurant where we ate didn't speak any English. Once again, we managed to stumble into an area not overwhelmed with American tourists.

Bill and I did our best to decipher the French menu with our very limited French language skills. As it turned out, we enjoyed a delicious and economical lunch, complete with Belgium's famous frites. I don't know why we Americans refer to fried potatoes as French fries, since the Belgians do fries so much better! We sat in the cafe and soaked up the atmosphere, enjoying the local color. A very Belgian older lady sat at the table next to us and I found myself observing her and enjoying how different she was.

After lunch we wandered around Arlon's charming streets. Before too long, we found ourselves at a chocolatier. The stylish proprietor addressed us in French. I responded with "Anglais?" She smiled and immediately spoke perfect English. The first question she asked was "What are two Americans doing in Arlon?"

We explained my husband's job in Germany and she knew all about it. Apparently, she had been married to an American soldier at one point, too! We purchased a pound of exquisite Belgian chocolates and headed back to our car.

That night, we ended up eating dinner at one of the hotel's restaurants, Le Stubli. The food was surprisingly good, with French and German influences and a cozy interior that seemed influenced by both countries.

Day 3- Nancy, France

After a huge breakfast served in our room, Bill and I got back in the car and started heading into France. Bill wanted to go to the Champagne region, but I had fewer ambitions. We ended up pulling off the highway in Nancy, France. After finding a place to park, we made for Stanislas Place, a huge, impressive square named after the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and duke of Lorraine, Stanislaw Leszczynski.

I had to squint my eyes as we approached Stanislas Place. The place seemed to gleam with brilliant white stones, black wrought iron, and gold. Next to the Stanislas Place, there's a park where musicians stroll and lovers sit on blankets under trees. We walked down a street near the square and I could hear someone playing the piano. The sound of the classical music wafted through the air. I looked up and spotted a cat sitting on a low rooftop. I could smell someone's Sunday lunch and wondered if the cat was hoping for leftovers.

As the afternoon wore on, Bill and I started to get hungry. We spotted an interesting looking restaurant called Sud America. As it turned out, it was run by a family from South America who didn't speak English! I think Bill and I scored some points when we told them our Spanish was better than our French. There was a picture of Fidel Castro over the cash register and two clocks; one was set to local time and the other was set to time "back home".

Bill and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch, complete with a lovely bottle of rich red Chilean wine. We could watch the chef in the back, preparing our lunches. The waitress brought us authentic cocktails and the chef's little boy, who looked a bit like Barack Obama, was riding his bike on the peaceful street outside.

After lunch, we headed back to Stanislas Place, crossed the square, and entered a beautiful cathedral. I marveled at the inside of the place, which had a beautifully painted ceiling. Bill stopped to cross himself and dipped his fingers in holy water.

As it was getting late, we decided to head back to the car. On the way back, we stopped to have a look at Nancy's own Arc de Triomphe, which stands at the center of the fourth side of Stanislas Square. Then we walked through the park and enjoyed the fine weather and uniquely French charm.

Day 4- Going home

We headed back to Germany on day four. It was another pretty drive, which took us through the town of Schengen, Luxembourg. Schengen is well known for being the site where the Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 aboard the river boat Princess Marie-Astrid. The Schengen agreement allows citizens of most European countries to travel freely between borders without passport checks.

Luxembourg is a great place to stay if you're into history...

Bill is a bit of a history buff and as we were heading back to Luxembourg, he commented that the area we were in was very historic, particularly in terms of World War I and World War II. Luxembourg is also a founding member of the United Nations and the European Union.

It's also a great place to go if you're into drinking...

Although we didn't notice any egregious consumption of alcohol when we visited Luxembourg, it's statistically the country that consumes the most alcohol in the world. But it turns out that honor was probably earned with help from visitors from neighboring Belgium, France, and Germany, since Luxembourg doesn't tax alcohol as much as its neighbors do.

It may be a wacky idea, but...

I think Luxembourg is worth visiting. When Americans go to Europe, they tend to think of places like France, Germany, Spain, or England. Luxembourg is one of those places where visitors can get a lot of bang for their bucks. Surrounded by several fascinating countries, Luxembourg offers tourists the chance to see and experience more than just one culture. And since it is one of the less popular tourist destinations, it's also a place where Americans in particular can experience Europe without running into too many of their countrymen. Don't get me wrong. I'm proud to be an American, but when I visit a foreign country, I really want to soak up the local atmosphere. Bill and I found we could really do that in Luxembourg and the surrounding areas.

Would I go back?

I wouldn't mind visiting Luxembourg again, though I might stay in a different city. As I told my European friend who made fun of Luxembourg for having too many banks, as long as it's pretty and there's good wine and food, I'm happy. And Luxembourg does have those things... as well as easy access to other countries that have even more of it.

Sources:

Wikipedia.org
Wikitravel.org