New Eco-Friendly, Safety Measures Announced at Upper Sûre Lake

Luxembourg's Ministry of Energy and Spatial Planning and the Upper Sûre Nature Park recently announced new (and strengthened) measures to be implemented around the Upper Sûre Lake, starting this bathing season.

These measures are aimed at ensuring that the dam (which supplies water to three-quarters of Luxembourg's population) and its surroundings are protected, whilst allowing visitors to safely enjoy their time at the lake in the summer months.

Luxembourg's Minister for Energy and Spatial Planning, Claude Turmes, announced these measures at a press conference last week, in the presence of Marco Schank, Mayor of Esch-sur-Sûre, and Claude Pauly, President of the Upper Sûre Nature Park. Minister Turmes stressed: "The 'Öewersauer-Stauséikommissioun' is fully committed to making the reservoir attractive and safe for all visitors, without harming nature. By improving existing measures and introducing new provisions, we are moving in the right direction. In this context, it is particularly important to us to also take into account the needs of the residents of the lake and the inhabitants of the surrounding region."

Car park management

As part of efforts to protect nature and ensure sustainable use of the region around the reservoir, the Öewersauer-Stauséikommissioun (Upper Sûre lake committee) has set itself the goal of reducing pressure on the lake and its surroundings. This includes measures such as car park management, to facilitate alternative access and to better control parking directly at the lake. For the villages of Insenborn and Lultzhausen, measures have been taken to ensure the decongestion of infrastructures on very hot and busy days. A barrier system with parking information system and payment by card has been put in place and the frequency of the lake shuttle bus has been increased on weekends and public holidays since 1 April 2023.

1,000 free parking spaces are available, from which it is possible to reach alternative car parks, bus stops and beach lawns with the free shuttle bus. This service is available on weekends and holidays. An additional 700 paid parking spaces are available directly by the lake. These car parks are equipped with a barrier system, a parking information system and card payment. The price of parking is €3 per hour. The website www.visit-stausei.lu will soon give a forecast overview of the occupancy rate of the region for the coming weekend and will offer suggestions for alternative activities, such as a hike or a visit to the Kaul relaxation spot in Wiltz.

Increased police presence on busy days, weekends

In order to ensure the safety of visitors, an increased police presence can be expected on very hot and busy days, noted the ministry and the Upper Sûre Nature Park. Collaboration with the municipality of Esch-sur-Sûre also makes it possible to close the localities of Lultzhausen and Insenborn in the short term with the aim of improving the fluidity of traffic. In addition, a new mooring pontoon for the police boat will be completed in the coming months to facilitate checks on the lake.

Public transport

According to the ministry and the Upper Sûre Nature Park, accessibility to the Upper Sûre Lake by public transport has also been improved. The rail hubs of Luxembourg, Ettelbruck and Wiltz serve as starting points for this journey. From there, visitors can continue their journey to lake by bus or other means of transport. In addition, the "Stauséi-Navette" (shuttle) slot has been extended. It offers regular connections on weekends and public holidays and makes several stops along the route. The development of cycle paths also reportedly contributes to improving the accessibility of the lake.

Protection of natural resources and rules of behaviour

Various measures have been taken to protect the natural resources of the Upper Sûre reservoir. Protected areas are also the subject of new signage by SEBES in order to make visitors aware of the importance of these natural areas. In addition, measures have been implemented to enhance security and protect natural resources, according to the ministry and the Upper Sûre Nature Park. A new fireboat and forest firefighting equipment have been purchased to ensure a rapid emergency response. In addition, the rescue point system has been developed in order to allow effective assistance in the event of an emergency.

In addition, July 2023 will mark the opening of the new "Take-Out de Lultzhausen", offering visitors a place to eat and drink.