The International March of Diekirch, walking with civilians and soldiers

The International March of Diekirch barely registers in Spanish searches, yet it turns up again and again in American ones, and many of those questions are about the medal and the ribbon. It’s an annual two-day walk based in Diekirch, open to civilians and military walkers from any country, and visitluxembourg sums it up as a walk through the green hills of the Éislek covering between 12 and 80 kilometres.

From army march to everyone’s march

The organisers’ own history starts in 1968 with the first Marche de l’Armée. It was organised by the Amicale des Anciens Artilleurs Luxembourgeois, an old artillerymen’s association, which chose for the medal the seal of John the Blind, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, killed at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 fighting on the French side against Edward III.

The march website gives him a whole page. Born in Luxembourg Castle in 1296, he became count at fourteen, then King of Bohemia, and, already blind, led the Luxembourg knights into the charge at Crécy against the corps commanded by the Prince of Wales. He’s buried in the crypt of Notre-Dame Cathedral in the capital. His seal was adopted in 1962 as the badge of the army General Staff and in 1964 became the emblem on every Luxembourg army uniform.

Today the army is among the sponsors and partners listed on the march website, alongside the Luxembourg popular walking federation and the international IML and IVV networks, and the spirit is sport, comradeship and international friendship, with routes for every age. That mix is what appeals to me, as there aren’t many chances to walk alongside soldiers from several countries without it being a parade.

How it works

You can walk on Saturday, Sunday or both, choosing each day between 40, 20 and 12 kilometres. The 40 km walkers start between 7:00 and 9:00, the 20 and 12 km walkers between 7:00 and 12:00, and everyone has to finish before 17:00, as the desks close at 17:15. Start cards are handed out on Friday (14:00-20:00) and Saturday from 6:45 to 11:45, and last-minute entries are taken at the Al Seeërei cultural centre by the station.

You can register online or on the spot. There are no refunds, for the walk or for accommodation, and no virtual version. The 12 km route takes pushchairs, dogs must be on a lead and bikes aren’t allowed. Route maps for each day and distance are on marche.lu.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Diekirch on Booking.com and filter by area before price.

The medal question

Every completed walk earns a medal under a system the organisers publish on their website, with jubilee medals for the 5th, 10th and 20th participation and for completing two days at 20 or 40 km. To qualify you need the transponder, the chip that logs your progress and also counts for IML and IVV stamps and the participation certificate, which is printed only on request. All of it is claimed at the event after your walk, never later.

For military walkers, the rules are clear on two points, there’s no pack weight limit and uniform is optional. What the official site doesn’t cover is whether any army, British or otherwise, recognises the medal or ribbon on uniform, and I wouldn’t assume anything without asking your own chain of command.

Sleeping and eating

You can book accommodation and meals when you register. The organisers ask you to bring a sleeping bag, ban fridges, stoves and barbecues in the accommodation and expect you to follow the camp director’s instructions. There are feed stations along the route, but no more disposable cups, so bring your own or buy a reusable one for €2.

If you’d rather have a hotel bed, bear in mind that Diekirch had just two hotels in 2025. Check hotels in Diekirch and Ettelbruck the moment the date is announced.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Diekirch on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Making a weekend of it

If you’re coming to walk, stay an extra day. From Britain the easiest way in is to fly to Luxembourg and take the free train north, so there’s no need for a car at all. The Diekirch military museum tells the story of the Battle of the Bulge around the town, and Ettelbruck, next door, has the Patton museum. To see what else is on in Luxembourg, check the Luxembourg events calendar.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Diekirch and pick one that fits your day.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Luxembourg before you arrive rather than at the desk.

If you still need a way in, check the best ticket deals to Luxembourg from where you are.