Ever heard of Esch-sur-Sûre? Probably not. I hadn’t until my Friend Emilie, who knows Luxembourg quite well, suggested it. She said it was cute. I looked online and it did indeed seem cute. Plus, there was a nice circle hike to do, not too hard.
First, Try To Prononce Esch-Sur-Sûre
“Esch-sur-Sûre“. Try saying it ten times really fast. The first time I said that name, my friend Jenny said “What kind of name is that? I thought you stuttered.” She’s not wrong, not the easiest name. In Luxembourgish, it’s slightly easier: Esch-Sauer.
Sûre is the name of the river in French, so the city is Esch upon Sûre, like Stratford-upon-Avon for example. The thing is that “upon” is “sur” in French and the pronunciation is exactly the same as “Sûre”. So it does sound a bit weird.
Meeting A Couple Of Old Germans
From Vianden (where I was staying), I took the bus to Ettelbruck and then another one to Esch-sur-Sûre. It wasn’t too long and, as everywhere in Luxembourg, the buses were free!
The bus left me at the beginning of the hike. I met a couple of old Germans who wanted to do it too. I left a bit before them and climbed up the forest. At the top, there was a nice view over the city. I stopped for a little while, looking at it and drinking some water.
The Germans arrived a few minutes after me. We chatted. The man was surprised by how good my English was (I love it when people tell me that). He and his wife had lived in the USA and spoke perfect English.
Then, I continued the hike. Through the fields and woods until I reached another stunning view over the city. It really looked like a fairy tale. I sat on a bench and the German couple arrived 10 minutes later, both of them as impressed by the panorama as I was.
Meditating While Walking Around Esch-Sur-Sûre
I sometimes have trouble sitting down to meditate. But I feel like hiking has a similar effect. It calms me down and I don’t think about a thousand things at the same time, just where to go, what’s around me. In the woods, I saw a squirrel.
Plus, this hike around Esch-sur-Sûre is fairly easy to follow, there are signs to show you the way and very few junctions.
Visiting The Ruins Of The Castle
At the end of the hike, you arrive in the city. If you’re still full of energy, you can climb to the ruins of the castle. There’s not much left, but signs tell you the history of Esch-sur-Sûre and its rulers. Also, the view is pretty nice.
The last tower and a statue are accessible from different steps, a bit further in the city.
If you are hungry or thirsty, there are restaurants and cafés where you can eat and drink without paying too much. Be prepared though, some of them only accept cash.
To see more photos of Luxembourg, you can visit the gallery Luxembourg.
