Highest points in Luxembourg: mountains of the Grand Duchy

Geography of Luxembourg: are there mountains?

Luxembourg is a small country with an area of only 2,586 km² and is thus positioned as one of the smallest countries on the continent, although not the smallest, as it is beaten by other countries such as the Vatican, Monaco, San Marino or Liechtenstein. 

Despite its small size, the Grand Duchy presents an interesting geographical diversity, although it is not characterised by high mountains like those found in the Alps or the Pyrenees. The landscape is defined by hills, plateaus and deep valleys with a rather modest elevation and there are no particularly high mountains in Luxembourg due to several factors:

Absence of plate tectonics

The great mountain ranges of the world such as the Alps or the Himalayas result from recent tectonic processes due to the collision of continental plates. Luxembourg is located in a region far from active tectonic plate boundaries, which makes the existence of high peaks difficult.

Geological erosion

Luxembourg's most mountainous region in the north of the country is part of the ancient Ardennes massif, which was formed some 300 million years ago and has been greatly eroded over time. Unlike young mountains such as the Alps or the Pyrenees, the Ardennes have modest altitudes, with rounded and low peaks.

Territory size

Although the small size of Luxembourg is not a direct determinant of the absence of high mountains, it does influence the likelihood of hosting significant mountain formations. A small territory is less likely to integrate complex mountain systems.

The average elevation of Luxembourg is approximately 300 meters above sea level, with a predominantly undulating character and no large mountains or completely flat plains. However, there are notable differences between the north and south of the country giving rise to two major geographical regions: the Ardennes (Éisleck), located in the north is the highest and most mountainous part of the country and Gutland (“good country”), located in the south is a flatter region of agricultural land. In the next section, we will venture into the mountainous Ardennes region to discover more about its geography.

The Ardennes: the highest region of Luxembourg

Source: weekend-evasion.fr

The Ardennes, known in Luxembourgish as Éislek and in German as Oesling corresponds to the Luxembourgish part of a natural and historical region of Central Europe that extends across southern Belgium, Luxembourg and a small part of France. In total, the Ardennes are about 11,200 square kilometres in size.

Its landscape is made up of rolling hills and forest masses, which is why this region is also known as the Ardennes Forest.  The name originates from Roman times when the area was known as Arduenna Silva, a Celtic toponym that was later Latinized. The Ardennes mountain system is very old and has been shaped by erosion resulting in a landscape of vegetation-covered hills with rounded peaks and an average altitude ranging from 300 to 500 meters above sea level.

In Luxembourg, the Ardennes region covers 828 km2 which represents about one-third of the country. This area offers splendid landscapes in which high plateaus alternate with steep wooded valleys and rivers. We will now have a look at the highest points of this region.

Kneiff (Troisvierges) - 560 m

Source: Wikipedia

The highest peak of Luxembourg is located in this region and has a height of 560.08 m, the hill is called Kneiff and is located in Wilwerdange in the commune of Troisvierges. 

The summit can be easily reached by car from the north on Route Nationale 7 or the south on Route Nationale 12. From the north, on Route Nationale 7 between Wemperhardt and Knauf, an unpaved road heads south and reaches the summit some 150 meters further on. From the south, halfway between Wilwerdange and Wemperhardt, a road heads north and after a fork to the right leads to the summit. 

Buurgplaatz (Troisvierges) – 559 m

Source: Wikipedia

Just a little over 1km from the Kneiff is another hill called Buurgplaatz. This hill is actually the second highest point with a height of 558.35 m and for a long time was considered the highest point in Luxembourg. 

It is possible to make a walking tour of less than an hour and visit both hills, the Kneiff and the Buurgplaatz. Wkiloc presents a possible route to do so.

Napoleonsgaard (Rambrouch) – 554 m

Source: Wikipedia

The third highest mountain in Luxembourg, or rather hill, is called Napoleonsgaard. It is located in the municipality of Rambrouch, in the west of Luxembourg and rises to an altitude of 554 meters. Until 1952 it was considered the highest elevation of the Grand Duchy. At the top of the hill there is a water tower built in 1928 and two transmission masts.

Hiking in the Ardennes region from Luxembourg

Although there are no spectacular hikes through the mountains to climb Luxembourg's highest peaks that we mentioned in the previous section, the Ardennes region does harbor a multitude of magnificent trails. Here are just a few of them.

Loop between Woltz and Our

This circuit was created as part of a project to create Belgian-Luxembourg itineraries although it is not signposted but rather uses existing paths so it is advisable to carry the route loaded on a smartphone with one of the many applications that exist for this purpose.  The circuit has a total distance of 42 km but is divided into 3 parts:

• Part 1: goes from Troisvierges to Weiswampach, has a length of 12km and can be covered in approximately 3 hours.
• Part 2: goes from Weiswampach - Heinerscheid, has a length of 17km and can be covered in about 4 hours and a quarter.
• Part 3: goes from Heinerscheid to Troisvierges, has a length of 13km and can be covered in about 3 hours and a quarter.

Western Hidden Landscapes Loop

Like the previous circuit, this one was also created within the same project of creation of Belgian-Luxembourg itineraries. This circuit however is much longer, it has a total length of 80k and is intended for hikers with a certain experience. Like the previous circuit, this one is also divided into several parts, in this case there are four:

• Part 1: goes from Kautenbach to Wiltz, has a length of 16km and can be covered in approximately 4 hours. 
• Part 2: goes from Wiltz to Derenbach, has a length of 18.5 km and can be covered in approximately 4 hours and 45 minutes.
• Part 3: from Derenbach to Clervaux is 20.5 km long and can be covered in about 5 hours and a quarter.
• Part 4 it goes from Clervaux to Kautenbach and is the longest route with 25 km that can be covered in about 6 hours and a quarter.

Escapardenne Eislek Trail

The Escapardenne Eislek trail links the Belgian-Luxembourg Ardennes, offering a very varied landscape and a rather longer route of about 106.08 km to be covered in 5 stages. On this route you can walk through extensive coniferous forests along steep slopes typical of the region and discover along the way the natural and cultural heritage of this region with a rich historical past. 

This is an unforgettable excursion, awarded the “Leading Quality Trail - Best of Europe” seal.  Most of the route crosses the meadows of the Ardennes high plateaus. These rolling landscapes at an average altitude of 500 m are characterized by deep valleys, rock and schist formations and vast expanses of farmland. Magnificent unobstructed views can be admired continuously.

Escapardenne Lee Trail

Source: Visitluxembourg

The Escapardenne Lee Trail is the little brother of the previous one, it is located in the same region but it is a little shorter, however do not think it is a piece of cake because it is still 52.5 km long and has 2,000 m of ascent. The route runs through the wooded valley of the Sûre and is a trail for experienced hikers. The trail links Ettelbruck and Kautenbach and is divided into three days of walking.