Approximately 3.5 hours’ drive from Utrecht lies the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In the midst of the violence in the surrounding regions such as the Belgian and Flemish Ardennes, the Eifel and further south the Vosges, this area is quickly forgotten. For many, it is a stop on the way to sunnier Alpine destinations. For club football fans, the names Dudelange, Differdange and Esch are likely to mean more. In the north of this postage stamp on the European map lies the Ardennes. The Ardennes of Luxembourg, of course. We set out to explore and here you’ll find the most enjoyable places for a beautiful tour and a great cycling holiday! Cycling in Luxembourg is highly recommended.
Beautiful playground
The Luxembourgish Ardennes roughly extend from the northern border with Belgium to Redange on the southwest side and Diekirch on the southeast side. It is a beautiful hilly area, where you can be surprised by the length of the climbs, but also by the steepness of the slopes. A small example: the rue du Sanatorium sounds friendly, but you will have to deal with a lot of elevation gain in 3.8 kilometers with an average of 7%. And it peaks there at 15%(!).
There’s plenty to look forward to in this region. The interesting thing about this region is its hilly profile, but also the possibility of going gravel biking. The region around Kautenbach is a suitable destination, but you’ll also find beautiful untouched areas just across the border where you can plan a great adventure. The tripoint near Ouren is a good starting or finishing point for a mini-adventure or an extended cycling holiday.
(c) Nas Raddine Touhami/VisitLuxembourg
Stunning border classic
Speaking of borders. The place to go in Luxembourg is definitely Mont St Nicholas. Over 2.7 kilometers you get 10.1% (!) points, with a high of 17%. Unheard of and very unusual in the Benelux. Everyone always just keeps talking about the Ardennes classics in Belgium, but this is also allowed. The nice thing about this climb is the start at Bivels, where you also have a kind of ‘horseshoe bend’ in the river Die Our. The nice view is on the German side of the river, though. But hey, we’ll just overlook that for now. You can do this climb from several directions. A little further on you’ll also find the aforementioned Rue de Sanatorium. For the lovers: the castle of Vianden is also worth a stop!
(c) Dominic Ketz
Against the wall (upwards)
There’s something about climbing that gives the name ‘Wall or Mur’ a certain charm. Wall of Geraardsbergen, Mur de Huy, Mur de Bretagne. Always a spectacle. Even the Mur de Putscheid, as it’s sometimes called, averages 10.1%, a maximum of 15.4%, and that over a distance of over 2 kilometers is a tough climb. As Rob of the Taste Police would say: that doesn’t make you happy!
Around Kautenbach
The climb to Kautenbach is a beautiful one. You can be on the road for quite a while here (4 kilometers), and you have several options to drive up. Personally, I have a soft spot for this region because when I was a little boy, I slept in a hotel in Wilwerwiltz for the first time. That really made an impression on me. Now I will probably be less sleepy after seeing where that hotel was located. Besides the railway line. Driving up from Wilwerwiltz and you can turn right after the descent in Kautenbach to find a beautiful bike path along the Wiltz river.
(c) Tristan Schmurr 
(c) Tristan Schmurr
The edge of Luxembourg
Another great way to explore the area is to take a ‘border’ route through Luxembourg. As a starting point, you can take the three-country point and from there you drive down the river towards Vianden or you drive westwards towards the Belgian Ardennes. There you will find the (one of the) highest point of Luxembourg near Huldange. Along the border you will also find several border posts, so you can just pick up the Luxembourgian version of the Border pillar classic You can drive!
More to explore
Of course, there is more to discover in this Grand Duchy. We will discuss the southern part later in a follow-up post. We are also far from having exhausted this region and would be happy to return to it again. For now, enjoy it! For more inspiration, visit the website Visit Luxembourg!
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.