Spotlight on Villages in Luxembourg: Blaschette

Throughout August, Chronicle.lu will be shining a spotlight on various villages across the Grand Duchy; the focus is mainly on some of the (perhaps) lesser-known villages with particular points of interest or an interesting history (e.g. cultural and/or industrial heritage). 

The next article in this series is dedicated to Blaschette (Blaaschent in Luxembourgish), a small, unassuming village in the municipality of Lorentzweiler in central Luxembourg (Canton Mersch) with a population of about 530. The village is located next to a forest and its most interesting features are the nearby scenic forest paths, offering a breath-taking panoramic view of Lorentzweiler. Further along, into the heart of the forest, the walk leads across the mighty “Fielsbasteien” and other rock formations, such as the “Napoleonshutt”.

On the other side, a mysterious neolithic house and village awaits, reconstructed for educational purposes in 2003. Red rocks arranged in a menhir circle (similar in ways to Stonehenge in England), a traditional house with a roof made of reeds, a fire area and a muddy, closed-off garden (field) area with recently sprouted linen seeds complete this image that transposes visitors into a bygone era.

The village itself also looks as though time stood still in some areas. Certain rock fences, some large renovated farm houses but also little statues, one bus stop and one wayside shrine look oddly antiquated, but beautifully preserved in the midst of more modern houses and beautiful gardens.

The village’s church, Église Saint-Hubert is small and quaint, built in 1939 and designed by an architect from Esch, Jean Deitz-Kintzelé, after the old church built in 1842 burnt to the ground in 1938. A large, circular stained glass window with a cross dominates the main facade. Below, there is a stone bas-relief of Saint Hubert by Aurelio Sabbatini.

The Chateau de Bourglinster is only a six-minute drive away, and the Belenhaff Luxembourg Golf Club is a 15-20 min drive away.

While not exactly a particularly touristic point of interest, the Grouft tunnel located in Blaschette is a key feature of the northern motorway and it is the longest and most expensive tunnel in Luxembourg (2966 m; cost over €171 million according to the National Roads Administration). It was officially opened for use in 2012.