Territory

Work on the Minett-Trail has begun!

Calling to all hikers and nature lovers: the sign-marking of the Minett Trail, a hiking trail across the 11 Pro-Sud municipalities, has begun. This exceptional 90-kilometer trail, launched by the South Regional Tourist Office (ORT Sud) in collaboration with Minett UNESCO Biosphere and with the support of the Ministry of the Economy – General Directorate of Tourism, will connect the emblematic tourist spots of the Minette region. Crossing three national trails that have been in operation since the late 1930s – Sentier du Sud 1 (Engl. Path of the South 1) (from Budersberg to Polvermillen), Sentier du Sud 2 (Engl. Path of the South 2) (from Rodange to Hellange) and Sentier des mineurs (Engl. Path of the miners) (circular route departing from Lamadeleine) – the Minett-Trail will open up new routes. It will run through several natural reserves in the Minette region, which have been recognised as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2020, and will allow hikers of all ages to discover the South of Luxembourg in a unique way. More specifically, it will link several open-cast iron mines (for instance the ‘Prënzebierg – Giele Botter’), the Fond-de-Gras and the ‘Haard-Hesselsbierg-Staebierg’ nature reserve to Dudelange, as well as the new urban district of Belval, the city centres of Pétange and Dudelange, forest landscapes, etc.

Unusual gites along the route will allow hikers to enjoy on-site accommodation. Following an architectural competition organised by the Order of Architects and Consulting Engineers (OAI), a former worker’s house in Lasauvage, a train wagon at Fond-de-Gras, the small tower at the entrance of the Parc Merveilleux in Bettembourg and other spaces will be renovated to accommodate walkers in 2022. As part of this competition, each municipality was able to choose ‘its’ architect. In the framework of Esch2022, a series of cultural events will be scheduled around these gites and along the trail. 

PS: Did you know? 
The word ‘Minett’ designates the South region. 
It comes from the French word minette, which refers to the iron ore of the region. 
For more information: https://www.visitminett.lu