Over 42 km, the Moselle winds its way between the tri-border area near Schengen in the south and Wasserbillig in the north, passing picturesque wine villages. No steep slopes, no wine villages overrun by mass tourism, but gently sloping vineyards and quiet small wine villages. The Moselle meanders through the valley in loops, creating an almost Mediterranean relaxed atmosphere. The Luxembourgers affectionately call the region “Miselerland“. A region that has much more to offer in all seasons than just first-class wine.
Fine Wine and Enjoyment
Who says a good glass of wine or Crémant can’t be enjoyed in the colder months? And best accompanied by a full stomach. Winter especially calls for enjoyable recipes that warm the heart and body. The Luxembourger Moselle has plenty to offer in both solid and liquid enjoyment. For the second time, on 8th & 9th February 2020, the Wine Cheese Enjoy event will take place. At this gourmet event, Moselle winemakers and restaurateurs open their doors to showcase their best wines and Crémants with fondue, raclette, cheese platters, or other cheese specialties.
By Pentecost weekend, when winter is long forgotten, the Wine Taste Enjoy festival, the largest wine festival on the Luxembourg Moselle, beckons. On 31st May & 1st June 2020, Luxembourg winemakers open their wine cellars for tasting their wines and Crémants in a cozy atmosphere. Guided hikes, tours, carriage rides, and art exhibitions are also on the agenda. To ensure nothing hinders the enjoyment, a free bus shuttle transports visitors from winery to winery. Of course, you can also explore the offerings of Moselle winemakers and restaurateurs on your own — just be prepared to spend a lot of time to discover everything. Because typical dishes like pike in Riesling sauce, fish fry, and crayfish deserve to be savoured leisurely.
Miselerland — Hiker’s Paradise
Hiking enthusiasts will be fully satisfied in Miselerland. The splendid landscape of the Moselle and its hinterland invites exploration on foot. The geography of Miselerland, a landscape full of hills and valleys shaped by the edges of sandstone cliffs, offers surprising and varied paths and views. Not only the Moselle valley and its quaint and historically rich wine villages, but also the hinterland with its orchards and forests, provide endless opportunities for experienced hikers and lovers of relaxed walks to discover nature with all their senses. No less than 28 circular hiking trails (known as Auto-Pédestres) and themed hiking trails in the Moselle region provide the perfect setting for a Sunday family hike. For the active pleasure hiker at the Luxembourg Moselle, a total of three certified premium trails, known as dream loops, offer hiking at the highest level, where one literally drifts into dreams! These quality trails mostly run on narrow, close-to-nature paths, past idyllic watercourses, old vineyard steps, and imposing rock formations towards breathtaking viewpoints. Hiking guides and route descriptions can be found on geoportail.lu and visitmoselle.lu.
A special treat awaits with the “Lauschtours” across the Miselerland, by land and by water. With this free app, available in four languages, you can explore, for example, Grevenmacher – once a fortified Moselle town of the Luxembourg counts. You’ll meet the legendary “blannen Theis” and finish your tour with a wonderful view of the Moselle valley from the Chapel of the Cross.
If you prefer to explore the Moselle valley on two wheels, you can do so on well-marked cycle paths through the vineyards, along former railway tracks, and past many Roman monuments. The easiest option is to rent a bike locally at one of nine stations along the Moselle, including breakdown service and maps. See rentabike-miselerland.lu.
Miselerland – Luxembourg’s Garden of Eden
Thanks to its favourable climate, the Miselerland yields not only fruity wines but also wonderful fruits growing in old orchards known as “Bongerten”. Over centuries, Luxembourg’s fruit farmers have perfected the art of turning these fruits into fine brandies. The distilling flask, when handled by a skilled master, works like a magic wand – stealing the soul and spirit from whatever is placed within it, and returning both to humankind in concentrated, fragrant, and delicious form as aqua vitae. Every October, you can sample these good spirits from the bottle during the event “D’Miselerland brennt”.
The Moselle in the spotlight
Mark your calendar for the weekend of 2 and 3 October 2020. You’ll be able to see the Moselle in an entirely new light. Along the riverbank, the event “Mosel – Light and Flames” will take place for the first time. Between Remich and Grevenmacher, the winegrowing communities will be bathed in a magical glow. Buildings, vineyards, landscapes, and water surfaces will form a dazzling spectacle of colour, light, and sound that can be admired both from land and from the water. The magic word is 3D video mapping. This modern technology, in harmony with music, allows buildings, nature, and vineyards to be transformed through projections into an extraordinary visual experience. You can enjoy the illuminated and musical shows from one of seven ships or take part in the many events held in the participating towns between Grevenmacher and Remich. More Information
Customs, legends, and anecdotes
With over 2,000 years of history, the Moselle valley is rich in myths, legends, and living traditions. Particular focus is placed on driving out winter. On Ash Wednesday in Remich, the Stréimännchen effigy is burned and thrown into the Moselle. The following Saturday, the cold of winter is chased away with the Burgbrennen fire festival – a special experience at the tri-border area in Schengen-Remerschen, where the most recently married couple in the village traditionally lights the bonfire high above the vineyards. While carnival-goers in Germany sing “Am Aschermittwoch ist alles vorüber” (“It’s all over on Ash Wednesday”), the carnival season in Luxembourg doesn’t end until Halleffaaschten in March, marked by the famous Remich cavalcade known far beyond the country’s borders.
You can find all information about events and activities in the Miselerland on visitmoselle.lu. To make sure you don’t miss anything happening in the region, simply subscribe to the newsletter and enjoy the Moselle region up close.
Legends of the region
The vineyard witch
Between Machtum and Grevenmacher, the vineyards rise high into the sky, their steep slopes covered in dense forest. Among these rocky cliffs lived, 300 years ago, a wise woman in a cave. According to legend, she never spoke, but at night people could hear her singing and weeping. One day, a young man ventured near her dwelling. She took a liking to his appearance, swallowed half of him, and threw the other half into the Moselle.
Ghost dogs and cursed Templar knights
As the Moselle winds its way through vineyards, typical villages, and picturesque towns, it carries with it countless stories of ghosts, witches, werewolves, and strange happenings. In the depths of the river near Grevenmacher lives the Muselhond, a huge ghostly dog said to be able to transform into a man, though entirely harmless. Not far from Mertert lies the vineyard Syrberg, haunted by another male ghost dog who is said to follow travellers along the paths between the vineyards. You might also encounter a wild, giant, blood-red, glowing horse. A werewolf is said to roam especially around Remich. And that’s not all: long ago, a Templar monastery stood in the vineyard Selwengert, and in that area people were warned to beware of the “red man” who used to wander there.
The spirit of the Moselle
In the darkness of night, when the Moselle turns from sky-blue to midnight black and the moon hides behind clouds, fishermen venturing onto the dark waters tell of strange happenings. They hear a deafening noise, as if hundreds of carp were slapping their tails on the water. It is said to be the spirit of the river, most often heard at the Mäilesteen, a small stretch of land between Mertert and Wasserbillig. A whole city is said to lie beneath the waters there – the so-called City of the Moselle. When the water level is low, try to spot the tips of the sunken houses.
The Devil’s Grotto
The Groesteen – once a great stone, now broken into many fragments – lies on a hill between Grevenmacher and Manternach. It is said that the devil himself placed it there, and if you look closely, you can see markings on the surface that resemble hoof prints. According to legend, the devil had long ago been promised a house in nearby Trier. Overjoyed, he carried a heavy stone along the river to lay the foundation. Halfway there, he was told that a church would be built instead of his house. Furious, he danced wildly on the stone, which gave the hill its name – Groesteen.
Useful addresses
Tourist Info Centre Mosellan
115, route du Vin, L-5416 Ehnen
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Tourist Info & Syndicat d’Initiative et du Tourisme Grevenmacher
10, route du Vin, L-6794 Grevenmacher
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Tourist Info & Syndicat d’Initiative et du Tourisme Mondorf-les-Bains
26, av. des Bains, L-5610 Mondorf-les-Bains
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Tourist Info Centre Visit Remich
1, route du Vin, L-5549 Remich
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Tourist Info Ponton
rue Robert Goebbels, L-5444 Schengen
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German-Luxembourg Tourist Info
Moselstraße 1, D-54308 Langsur
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Restaurants
Pavillon Desom
49 Esplanade, L-5533 Remich
The Pavillon DESOM welcomes you for a cosy get-together with excellent cuisine, both in winter and on the terrace in summer.
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Koeppchen Bistrot Brasserie
9 Berreggaass, L-5485 Wormeldange-Haut
A Moselle institution for over 100 years, serving traditional Luxembourgish cuisine and specialities such as Moselle-style fried fish.
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Le Bistrot Gourmand
77 Waïstross, L-5440 Remerschen
Renowned for its fine cooking. Shaded terrace in summer.
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Authors: Barbara Fischer-Fürwentsches & Cara v. Bland