After exploring the sights of Luxembourg City centre the previous day, we turned our attention to the country as a whole with a plan to spend the following days touring Luxembourg’s four distinct regions starting with the industrial heritage of the south west.
As public transport is totally free throughout the entire country we did look into the possibility of utilising it but as many of the places we wished to visit were off the beaten track it would have meant scaling down our itinerary to allow for infrequent bus connections etc. Instead, we collected a hire car from Europcar in the city centre and were soon heading south west to Minett Park Fond-de-Gras in a gleaming, white Audi A1.
The region around Minett was one of the largest centres for iron ore exploitation and by 1913 Luxembourg was one of the world’s largest iron ore producers. The industrial past of this region is still visible today as some aspects have been left as a reminder of their importance in Luxembourg’s history.
Minett Park Fond-de-Gras has been transformed into a charming open air museum and is home to several preserved, historic buildings including an old grocery store, electric power station, railway station and a train shed. Upon arrival we parked at what we thought was the entrance car park but after walking ten minutes down a steep hill we discovered another free car park which would have saved us time and effort.
We wandered around the old railway site which is free of charge and viewed carriages and engines that were used for carrying iron ore. Steam trains operate on Sunday afternoons during the summer between Pétange and Fond de Gras on the line which opened in 1874 to transport iron ore extracted from nearby mines. If you can plan your visit for a Sunday afternoon then I’m sure it would be an enjoyable experience.
The large scale Giele Botter open cast mine is now a nature reserve and a pleasant place for a stroll with numerous information boards covering the industrial impact of the site and its conversion into a protected natural area.
Back in the car we drove to the Raemerich park and ride, €3 (£2.64) for up to 10 hours then took a short bus ride to Esch-Belval to visit Blast Furnace A, now one of the region’s top tourist attractions. Touring the blast furnace costs €5 (£4.40) and is free with the Luxembourg Card.
The Blast Furnace plant has always been at the heart of the Belval plant as it was the location where the ore was transformed into cast iron before being turned into steel in the on-site rolling mill to shape it into various forms. With the decline in the cast iron industries in the 1970’s, the Blast Furnace terrace has been transformed into a tourist attraction and is surrounded by a new urban quarter of learning, culture and entertainment.
We took the blast furnace lift up to a height of 40 metres from where we had stunning vistas of Esch-Belval from the high viewing platform. The contrast of the renovated industrial heritage intertwined with the new urbanised area of the city is interesting to view.
We walked down the 180 steps pausing on each level to read the information boards that detailed different stages in the operation of a blast furnace. The ground floor level is now used as an exhibition space with some vocal rehearsals taking place at the time of our visit. It was fascinating even for those of us with little or no prior knowledge of iron ore production as it’s not everyday you get an opportunity to experience the workings of a blast furnace.
Across the courtyard, the Massenoire building across the courtyard was a former iron ore production site and is now an exhibition space describing the history of the iron and steel industry and its development in the south part of Luxembourg.
After enjoying a beer on the terrace of the trendy Rockhalcafe we caught a train to Esch-sur-Alzette, another modern town with historic ironworks. Esch-sur-Alzette together with ten neighbouring municipalities in Luxembourg and eight across the border in France has been crowned European Capital of Culture 2022 known as Esch 2022 to celebrate their joint European heritage and culture.
Esch-sur-Alzette lies in the centre of the region and contains some beautiful old buildings which stand in stark contrast to the new urban housing surrounding them. We walked along its pedestrianised shopping street viewing some of the unique art installations relating to its status as Capital of Culture.
Rather than retrace our steps to the railway station, we boarded a bus back to the park and ride from the other end of town. We then continued our exploration of the iron mines with a visit to the National Mining Museum at Rumelange. (Two hour guided tours €9 (£7.90) and included in the Luxembourg Card).
At the time of our visit there were three daily tours commencing at 2.30, 3.30 and 4.30 p.m. We had hoped to take the 3.30 p.m. tour but due to roadworks arrived minutes too late so spent the time looking around the exhibition on the history and development of the mine before the next tour commenced.
The temperature in the mine is a constant 10 degrees and for those on the tour without coats we were invited to borrow one from a large tub which was helpful. Equipped with warm coats and hard hats we were then led outdoors to board a train to take us into the mine. This was an adventure in itself as the journey took almost 20 minutes with the little train winding its way through the forest before entering the dark tunnels of the mine.
On leaving the train we were led through tunnels with our guide pausing frequently to point things out. Tours are usually in French or German depending on the number of participants from each country but this wasn’t a problem though as we were supplied with audio guides, just needing to press them at relevant points along the route.
The tour covered more than a century of technological development from 1870 to 1997 through its large collection of tools and machinery on display in the underground galleries. We learnt about the arduous nature of the miner’s work in the early days when they endured 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week just using hand tools. The tour continued up to recent times with better working conditions and the introduction of modern machinery.
It was interesting to view the mine workings with two levels being visible in some places. The mine closed in the 1980’s due to economic factors and it’s pleasing that it has been retained as a permanent reminder for future generations to reflect on the importance of iron mining in the country. The end of a fascinating day exploring the industrial heritage of southern Luxembourg.
If you have enjoyed this post you may also like:
Love Travelling Blog 
I really love exploring these more gritty, industrial parts of a city’s history. It gives a real look at the people who keep a place running. The mine tour looks really interesting! More and more Luxembourg is drawing me to it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Luxembourg may only be small but it’s packed with interesting places to visit. Our day exploring the industrial heartlands was fascinating Meg.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The mining museum looks so interesting, I can’t imagine working down there! I love taking as much transportation as we can when we travel, but it’s also nice driving around and going off the beaten trail.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The mining museum was very interesting Lyssy, especially the lovely little train ride into it. I agree that it’s good to be able to visit places off the beaten track as well as the main hotspots! Thanks so much for commenting. Marion
LikeLike
I was delighted when I read that you were featuring Luxembourg, as this is somewhere I used to visit regularly when I was living in Metz, as Luxembourg is under an hour from there.
Your blog posts have bought back many happy memories, although I can see there have been many interesting additions since my last visit including the Plaffenthal Panoramic Elevator and Kirchberg.
Fascinating to see how the Blast furnace has been transformed into a cultural attraction. I’m looking forward to the next instalment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks June for your interest in our recent trip to Luxembourg. We enjoyed our time there both in the city centre and touring around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a different side of Luxembourg. I like the idea of preserving industrial heritage in a way that allows people to enjoy and interact with it all, not just making dusty museum pieces. You had a really interesting day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Helen, It was a great opportunity to dig deeper into Luxembourg’s history by going off the beaten track a bit to visit the blast furnace and mining museum. It was all very enjoyable and interesting especially the little train that took us into the iron ore mine.
LikeLike
I’m such a fan of these open air types of museums. This seems like a neat way to learn more about Luxembourg’s industrial past. The Blast Furnace also looks super cool. Love the views from the top.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much to see in such a small country. Thank you for yet another gem in your world tours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you too for your ever welcome thoughts. It was so interesting to learn how the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg created its wealth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s good to see how well preserved everything is at the open air museum – I never knew Luxembourg was such a big iron ore producer in the early 1900’s. And I had to laugh at that lorry halfway up the wall – that’s now street art for you 😄. And the train ride to the mine sounds like fun. This is definitely a “blast from the past” day exploring Luxembourg’s iron ore history.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Corna, ‘a blast from the past’ would have made a great strapline for this post! It was so interesting to learn about Luxembourg’s industrial heritage. The mining museum was very well done especially with the train ride deep into the mine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is an interesting area to explore for sure. I love wandering around abandoned railway sites. The visit to the mine sounds fascinating. How lovely that one of the former mines has been converted into a nature reserve and a pleasant area to walk about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a fascinating day for us to be able to experience the country’s industrial heritage and wealth created from iron ore mining. The mine museum was superb and we adored the ride on its small train, Hope you have a good weekend. Marion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very educational day out in Luxembourg, it seems! It’s fascinating to learn about the country’s industrial history (had no idea!) and to check out its quirky art installations in town (the distorted truck really amused me). Glad you had another wonderful day, and I look forward to reading more about Luxembourg from you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was so interesting to go off the beaten track and to explore Luxembourg’s industrial heritage Rebecca. The mining museum was particularly interesting coupled with the ride on the small train. I also thought that art installation of the distorted truck was amusing, I couldn’t believe it at first!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mining and steel certainly launched Luxembourg’s fortunes, and capital accumulation subsequently fuelled the banking business. But this is a less easy activity to present with photos. Thanks for the visit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you also for your welcome comments. We enjoyed looking further than the main tourist attractions to witness the country’s industrial heritage . The visit to the mining museum was particularly interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was fascinating. I’m glad you weren’t aiming for the 4.30 tour as it would have been a great pity to miss that mine tour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would indeed, both the ride in the little train and the tour were extremely interesting Gwen. Thanks so much for commenting,
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is really neat to discover the industrial past of this area. It is good that they have the equipment still there, it really brings you back to that time in history and it is amazing that we can still learn from it today. Thank you for sharing this great travel information and beautiful photos!
LikeLike
How wonderful that you chose to explore the industrial sites. Travelers usually visit the tourist areas and fail to dig deeper into really getting to know a place. I love that you dug deeper and shared it with us. The train ride into the mine must’ve been an exciting excursion. Oh, and at first glance, I thought the red truck was real! Another great post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your interest and kind words about our tour of Luxembourg’s industrial heartlands. I agree, it’s good to dig deeper and not just focus on the main tourist sites. The mining museum with its train ride was such fun and something I’d definitely recommend. Hope you both have a lovely weekend. Marion
LikeLiked by 1 person