Cessange, fields, bikes and a water tower on the hill

Cessange holds two records hardly anyone knows about. It’s the largest district in Luxembourg City, at 657.83 hectares, and it also has remarkably little built on it, since the tourist office reckons only 11 per cent of its land is developed. The rest is meadow, parkland and a hill topped by a water tower.

A village on record since 1083

In Luxembourgish it’s Zéisseng, in German Zessingen. In 1083 Count Conrad gave a house here to Altmünster Abbey, according to the tourist office. Until the 1920 merger it was part of Hollerich, and it has been a district of the capital in its own right since the 1970s. The first school opened in 1865, according to the city.

The present church, from 1972, has stained glass by Gustave Zanter and furnishings by Charles Kohl, both credited by the tourist office. It’s not the sort of church that makes the guidebooks, and to me that’s a reason to look in if the door’s open.

What can you see from the Kohlenberg?

At the end of Rue Tubis the Kohlenberg climbs to 310 metres. On top sits the 1930s water tower the city describes as the symbol of Cessange. From the meadows you look across to the houses of Strassen and Bertrange, the neighbouring municipalities to the west. To the south, Leudelange shares the protected beech wood of the Beetebuerger Bësch with Bettembourg. For me it’s the best spot in the district to see where the capital ends and the rest of the country begins.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Luxembourg before prices climb.

A district for bikes and children

The standout for me is the Boy Konen Bike Park. The tourist office describes it as the only training ground in Luxembourg that brings every element together on one site. If you’re travelling with a mountain bike, or with teenagers who ride, it’s worth the trip. My cycling in Luxembourg page has more on routes around the country.

For younger children there’s Cessange park, 33,790 m², starting by the Fischerhof stop and following the Zéissenger stream with wooden bridges and a beach volleyball court. It’s one of those long, narrow parks that invites an aimless wander, and on a warm afternoon it’s a far better place for children than any museum.

Is it worth it without a bike?

Yes, if you like walking. The streamside park and the climb up the Kohlenberg make a good hour and a half on foot, with the capital behind you and open country ahead. On a single day in Luxembourg, though, I wouldn’t come out here. It’s a district for day three or four, once you’ve done the centre and fancy something different.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Luxembourg before prices climb.

Getting there

Bus 4 stops at Cessange-Kierch, at no cost. I’d pair the district with Merl and its park, just to the north, for a quiet afternoon away from the centre.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Luxembourg and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Luxembourg on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

So you do not pay over the odds, look at trains, coaches and flights to Luxembourg on Omio and pick the one that suits you.