Chilly's Journal - Stage 2

Chilly's Journal

Author: Chilly the Bunitt

MINETT TRAIL MINETT TRAIL

Year: 2023

Origin: Minett Trail

The Minett Trail was at first just an idea. The "Minett UNESCO Biosphere" wanted a regional trail connecting it's cities, hubs, historical and natural sites.

Work for this trail started in 2017

Walk through former opencast mines and discover the industrial past! Witness how nature has reclaimed its former territory!

The Minett Trail is a 90km long trail that expands its wings all across the south of Luxembourg. Due to its enormous length the trail is split into 10 stages which can be explored individually.

More info: https://www.minetttrail.lu/

The stages are rated with a difficulty. Are we in a video game now? If so GAME ON

Easy = great for beginners and families.

Medium = great for occasional hikers and it includes narrow pathways and stairs.

Hard = only sporty hikers or people with good physical fitness should tackle these routes.

Sidenote: Unfortunately, not all the stages are barrier-free.

POW

Promotion and education of the southern region in Luxembourg.

Minett Trail: Pétange - Differdange

Distance: 15,70 km

Duration: 4h35

Difficulty: medium

Highlights:

Prënzebierg, Giele Botter, Minett, Fonds-de-Gras

Pétange is a town in the south-west of Luxembourg, bordering two neighbouring countries, France and Belgium.

Fun fact:

There is a river called "Chiers". It flows through France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

This stagr will never take 4 hours. I can do it in 3 hours.

Safety

Safely across the streets ABC 1 2

We look left and right and wait until the cars come to a halt.

If there is no crossing....

Wait until there is no car on the road and then...

Ah well, it seems like option 2 is the only choice.

... run as fast as you can across the road.

In other words, last prayers for a person.

It may be a sad topic, but my "grandbun" (grandpa) said that without the gift of death, life would be meaningless.

I am still clueless what he meant with that, but maybe you have an idea.

Chilly's note: Even though we know a lot about our world. Death is one of our greatest mysteries to date. Some say we have a soul that lives forever, others say we are reborn. It's a fascinating subject that should not always be seen in a negative light. (I recommend the book: Philosophy of Death)

Uff....let's get a better atmosphere in here.

I said better atmosphere!

A wild cemetery appears!!

Here we are. The path looks pretty steep. Oh well, here we go!!

It's still cold outside and I can see my breath. I'm a roaring ice dragon!

Yes! I made it all the way to the top.

I love climbing. One of my favourite hobbies!!

Would you look at that!

RUINS!?

These ruins must be from an old bridge. I wish objects from the past could speak. Imagine what kind of stories they could tell us.

Great hiding spot!

Another steep hill awaits me and it takes a lot of energy, but I am a strong bunny and no hill will defeat me!

Look at those fallen trees. They form a wooden gate.

If nature can be an artist

Nature truly has many faces. Take a look at my album.

Wooden Gate

I can be one as well!

This place reeks of history. A mine in the middle of my hike. Hm...1965? Was that its operation date?

The inside of the mine radiates with a soft heat that keeps my paws from freezing.

Fun fact:

The temperature in caves is almost the same all year round. The reason: The rocks transfer heat slowly. Other factors include air flow, air quality and humidity.

More info (caves): https://nckri.org/caves/cave-climates/

The first mining operation (Prënzebierg) dates back to 1870

In the 1930s, intensive tunnel mining was conducted at Giele Botter. Open-cast mining began after the Second World War 1977: End of mining due to cheaper ores imported from abroad. Since November 1991, 255 hectares of the Prënzebierg have been classified as a national nature reserve.

In the "Giele Botter" nature reserve you walk through a disused open-cast mining area. During mining operations: Nature was bare and the predominant color was red. Today: The area has transformed itself into a special habitat for numerous species, with dense forests, shrubs, dry grasslands and ponds.

The red wall is what gives Luxembourg its name "Land of the Red Rocks".

Hills are annoying, but luckily for me this one is short and sweet like the last meal I ate. Look at this giant rock! It gives me a strong urge to climb it.

Bad idea...I hurt my paw. Let this be a lesson not to climb on everything!

Witness one of my favourite areas of the hike.

The cliff is supported by water. It looks so magical.

I enjoy this place way too much.

This is a strange device that rotates and contains information about the flora and fauna in the nature reserve.

Kneel before me!

How long has this been here already?

This view is amazing. Everything looks so small from up here. It's almost as if I were some kind of king. Chilly, the forest king! Sounds fantastic.

If you look at a tree long enough, you get the feeling that its branches are moving. It reminds me of a scary movie where trees move through a town.

Imagine if trees could walk.

I bet that would look silly. They would walk like a penguin, hihi.

Chilly's note: The landscape belongs to Lamadelaine a town that is part of municipality of Pétange.

Fond-de Gras is a Minett Park?

It certainly looks industrial to me, like I've been beamed into another timeline.

Fond-de-Gras was one of the most important mining centers in Luxembourg. The extraction of underground ore ended in 1955.

In 1964, a landslide on the Fond-de-Gras - Pétange railway line that brought all railway operations to a halt. The Minett Park is now an open-air museum, open on Sundays, which takes its passengers on an unforgettable journey. Train1900 passes here.

Paul Wurth Hall - The old powerplant

This is certainly a unique place, and if that is not enough, they also have a bistro serving all those sweet homemade meals. Ohhh, I want to sink my teeth into those delicacies! Hey! A fancy fancy go kart, this one reminds me of Mario Kart in a way. I would gladly ride on. How fast would this thing be, though?

They even have a Café here, and their outdoor terrace is simply beautiful. The smell of food and fresh coffee wafts into my nose.

https://minettpark.lu/en/

Chilly's note: The Minett Park has so much more to offer, and it's highly recommended to check out the park by yourself. Between May and September, there are all kinds of activities planned.

Fond-de-Gras also has a Kabaischen: It's located in the middle of a nature reserve and is part of the Minett Park itself. Literally, sleep in an old railway carriage while listening to nature's orchestra.

Fancy kart!!

My poor tummy. I'm hungry.

Rumble

The path leads close to a forest, and thanks to the beautiful smell of food, my belly decides to make its debut. Luckily, there is a bench here, and I don't hesitate to sit down for a good moment.

Dogs approach me, and they barked at me. They circled around me, and I didn't feel safe.

HELLO!

Luckily, the owner comes soon enough and they calm down. They are so sweet that I ask the owner if I can pet them.

The owner says no. No petting allowed.

Funfact:

Did you know that dogs are used in different services. These are called service dogs and please note that you should not pet a service dog. The most common service dogs are the police dogs and the guide dogs.

Additional Different types: Diabetic Alert Dogs, Autism Service Dogs, Seizure Dogs, etc...

Let's go for a ride! NO!

I guess they are not so fond of that idea.

I'm following the street, which, as usual, is an absolute nightmare. My life depends on the iron panels that shield me from the cars.

Luckily, I studied the route beforehand, and our next destination is Lasauvage.

The most adventurous part, though, is that the path leads to a hidden passage just behind the barricade of the street. I feel like I'm entering a secret base.

BIKER LANE

The path follows a biker lane, eventually leading to a magnificent pit, filled with trees.

The soft wind tickled the trees, and in respond, some of the trees creak like an old wooden staircase.

Creaking and groaning, especially from trees, is rather common during heavy winds, cause the branches and even the trunk sway. However, if a tree creaks without any influence of wind, stay far away!

Chilly's note: In my younger days, I was awfully scared of these tree noises. Even today, I have mixed feelings with these sounds. They can be rather creepy.

Declared a "Pilot Village" for the maintenance and restoration of industrial housing when its mine closed in 1978.

2 museums: The Eugène Pesch Museum and the Lasauvage Museological Area

The name comes from a legend: "Val de la sauvage femme" (The Valley of the Wild Woman)

A friend of mine lives here!

My first grand surprise is a soccer field.

There is a park with some small lakes, an area for bees and honey production, and some goats chilling in the neighbourhood. Goats kind of look silly to me.

A beautiful pond crosses my path. This moment convinces me that Lasauvage is one of the most picturesque villages in the entire southern region.

Nature reserve "Kiemerchen/Scheiergronn/Groussbësch".

Everything appears as if an artist has painted the entire landscape in shades of tone.

The long strings and pillars likely belong to mining work, though it's an educated guess.

It is not uncommon to see ruins in a forest, but finding a building in the middle of nowhere is rather spooky.

The nature reserve spreads across 391.94 hectares, lying between the villages Lasauvage and Belvaux, and also holds a part of the region's industrial history.

The path continues in a grey fashion and there is a house nestled in the middle of the forest.

An utter nightmare crosses me. This building piques my interest like so many things before it, but suddenly I hear a loud noise.

That is a gun! Which means...

That is what I call an old sign.

This is a shooting range!

My escape route involves traversing a troublesome hill. It is extremely steep, and it remains that way for a considerable distance.

I feel like a tired pancake. Where is the next station.

My escape is a success!

Give me a second, please....

These fields got me thinking...You see them rather often in Luxembourg I wonder why....

Aha! I found something!

Around half of the Grand Duchy is used for agriculture.

The most prominent crops in Luxembourg are wheat and spelt, occuping around 14,494 hectares. Wine also holds a significant place in Luxembourgish culture, with dozens of vineyards lining up along the Moselle.

I take another break, because my paws kind of hurt.

The best part is savoring a bite of my delicious sandwich.

I AM THE SANDWICH LORD!

Last hill of the day! Let's make sure I don't take the wrong turn.

My famous savior!!

Chilly's note: No matter how well someone designs a path, I still manage to get lost.

Classic Chilly! Classic me :)

But no matter how lost I am, the signs are never too far away.

OHHH, I'm so excited!!!

Differdange is more of a city than a town, if you ask me. It is much bigger than Clemency, and way more people walk around the place.

I must admit, though, that everything feels surreal in a way.

I think the reason for that is the stark contrast between the hours I spend in the forest and the hustle and bustle of the city with all the cars, buses, people, and construction sites ringing in my ears.

Just for you guys: I'll make an additional stop at the science center

Chilly's note: The science center! Am I going to be a scientist now!?

I am ready for some science! The first milestone and the start of the science center project began in 2007. The Groussgasmaschinn, two national monuments, that were installed on the old Arcelor Mittal site became the foundation of the science center that we know today.

The Science Center (Differdange) was inaugurated in 2017.

The train station of Differdange fits the atmosphere around town. It has some modern features, but it possesses an old-fashion charm with its old architectural structures.

Conclusion: Minett Trail: Pétange - Differdange

This section is a splendid weekend activity for families. Be warned, that this stage requires strong legs and good stamina. People with any kind of joint pain or physical hindrance should not attempt it due to the many hills. It is not barrier-free.

Additional Info:

Time: It took me exactly 5 hours and 02 minutes to complete. My time deviates from the average 4 hour and 35 minutes,

due to my photos and multiple breaks. (I always exclude my arrival and departure on public transport)

Travel with Public Transport: Train (Pétange Gare) or Bus (TICE lines 1, 3, 13, 14)

Important app: https://www.mobiliteit.lu/en/ (Public transport)

Cultural: Outstanding, it offers 2 nature reserve "Prënzebierg/Giele Botter" and "Kiemerchen/Scheiergronn/Groussebësch".

Furthermore, this trail is filled with historical ruins, like old train tracks and mines, museums (Lasauvage) and the Minett Park. Path: Hard, it has some tight spaces and there are a lot of rocks on the path, so good shoes are a must.

Accessibility:

It is possible to do this stage on a mountain bike, but it is not recommended and I would leave it to the more experienced mountain bikers.

Last note: My recommendation would be to do this stage on a Sunday(between May and September). Begin between 2PM or 3PM, as at that time, you can still spend some time in the Minette Park (Fond-de-Gras) or relax in a café.

Differdange (Train station)