Ellergronn, ponds and alder woods where iron ore was once dug

Not so long ago, the Ellergronn was a working iron mine. When extraction ended, the Kazebierg area south of Esch-sur-Alzette was left to nature, and today it’s a Natura 2000 reserve of ponds, the dry grassland you see all over the Minett and a fringe of alder and ash woodland. visitluxembourg says you can explore it easily from town, whether on a long hike or a short stroll, and I’d agree that it needs no planning at all.

The visitor centre in the old mine

Your way in is the nature and forest centre, 2 km south of central Esch, in the restored buildings of the former Cockerill mine. It fills the forester’s house, the industrial halls and the workshop, and shares the site with the Entente Mine Cockerill association. Inside are permanent exhibitions on the natural heritage of the mining basin and on how the mines were worked, plus temporary shows such as Transition Now, on nature, climate and people. For afterwards, there’s the an der Schmëdd café-restaurant, and visitluxembourg also lists Am Zechenhaus.

Hours are those of a public office, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. The Environment portal only has it open at weekends during the summer school holidays, although visitluxembourg showed it open every day in the week of 30 September. Planning a weekend visit outside the summer holidays, I’d ring ahead.

Choosing a trail

Several routes cross the reserve. visitluxembourg names the Esch circular walk, the CFL 25 linking Kayl, Schifflange and Esch, the Nobert Theis nature trail, the reserve’s own trail and the Natura 2000 trail with its three loops. With only an afternoon, I’d pick the Natura 2000 trail, which the centre describes as the most varied, with as much geology as wildlife.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Esch-sur-Alzette for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

The Cockerill mine museum

Also on site, the museum preserves the heritage of the mining era, with artefacts from the industrial period and the old Katzenberg mine. It opens Monday to Friday from 8am to noon and 1pm to 5pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays in the morning only, 8am to noon. Groups can book it with a guide.

Guided walks and getting there

The centre has a long list of activities, most from €90 per group, including guided walks in the Ellergronn and other southern reserves, Nordic walking, yoga, mushroom forays and mountain biking along the old mining tracks from €75. The rest of the protected sites in the south are in my guide to nature reserves in Luxembourg.

Without a car, TICE line 12 stops at Place Pierre Ponath, where there’s a Vël’OK station with Esch’s free bikes. Buses and trains are free nationwide, so from Luxembourg City it’s a cheap half day. If you have time left, walk up to Gaalgebierg in Esch-sur-Alzette, the hill with the animal park, or head on through the Minett to other mines that became reserves.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Esch-sur-Alzette for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Ellergronn on GetYourGuide.

If you would rather go at your own pace, see the car hire deals in Luxembourg: the earlier you book, the more cars are left to choose from.

Before you fix your dates, compare tickets to Luxembourg: the same journey can cost very different amounts from one day to the next.