Discover Arlon, Luxembourg, Luxembourg: local treasures

On this walk, discover the most beautiful facades that make up the old quarter and town centre of Arlon, one of the 3 oldest towns in Belgium.From neo-classical to eclectic to Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the many unusual houses give the town its undeniable charm. Starting point: the courtyard of the Maison du Tourisme.Signposts: not signposted, see map or leaflet with free directions in our reception area.Distance: 2.1 km

Waypoints to follow 69 67 37 34 35 36 66 68 69 Starting pointBY CAR:Rue Busleyden, 2 – 6700 ArlonCar park: Place des Chasseurs Ardennais – 6700 ArlonBY TRAIN:You can start your route from Arlon station (take Rue A. Goffaux towards PN 65 and join the circuit at PN 67). Discover the circuit on the map:www.nodemapp.com/bike/route/7v73xp Points of interestGallo-Roman columnSaint-Donat Church and its belvedereSaint-Martin ChurchArlon Archaeological MuseumGaspar Museum in Arlon Good to knowBetween PN 36 and PN 66, there is a difficult unpaved section.

Starting from the Maison du Tourisme du Pays d’Arlon (Land of Arlon Tourist Office), head off in the footsteps of the Romans along this route created especially for cyclists.You will follow a stretch running parallel to the old Roman road that linked Trier and Reims. You will discover various villages in the communes of Attert (Nobressart, Tontelange, etc.) and Arlon (Viville, Freylange, etc.). Gallor comprises no fewer than 15 circuits in total! Leaflets available free of charge at our reception. Start: Maison du Tourisme du Pays d’Arlon (Land of Arlon Tourist Office).Waymarking: Roman helmet and blue triangle on white background.

Starting from the Archaeological Museum of Arlon, head off in the footsteps of the Romans along this route created especially for cyclists.You will go past the Wolberg and discover various villages in the communes of Messancy (Hondelange, Sélange, etc.) and Arlon (Autelbas, Toernich, etc.). Gallor comprises no fewer than 15 circuits in total! Leaflets available free of charge at our reception. Start: Archaeological Museum of ArlonWaymarking: Roman helmet and blue triangle on white background.

Between Gaume, its lakes and forests Our car free itinerary in the Belgian province called Luxembourg (the largest one) is also the least populated. It is also the greenest region with around 96% of its land taken up with forests and fields. You start the journey in Arlon, the region’s capital, one of Belgium’s three oldest cities spanning over 2000 years of history. It sits in a strategic position at the crossroads of two important roman roads: the road from Reims to Trier and the road from Metz to Tongeren. Today the town is best known for its Archeological Museum, its Roman remains and the annual Gallo Roman weekend. After taking the train from Arlon to Marbehan, you will be able to explore the Gaume region, also famous for its sausage, its Gaume pâté, its hilly landscapes and its yellow stones. Belgian Lorraine is bounderied to the north by the Ardennes, to the east by the Pays d’Arlon, to the south by the French region of Lorraine and to the west by the French region of Champagne-Ardenne. This little corner of Belgium has a uniquely southern air. Following that, you’ll head for Neufchâteau and its region at the gates of the Anlier Forest. The lake there is a great place to relax in a protected nature reserve. Onwards to Libramont where you’ll discover a region with 28 villages and hamlets, a modern centre and stunning landcsape as far as the eye can see. There is also a famous agricultural fair on the last weekend of July, which attracts 160,000 visitors. It’s also a region with numerous river sources: Sûre, Vierre, Lesse, Lomme and the Western Ourthe…

Mount your bike and head off to discover the villages in the commune of Arlon. This 54-kilometre route, waymarked in both directions, gives you the chance to admire the region’s beautiful landscapes and discover the curiosities to be found nearby: the Sainte-Croix chapel, the Fouches marshes, the Cycle museum in Weyler, the Clairefontaine site, the Stockem lakes, the ruins of Autelbas castle and its museum, the listed village of Guirsch with its panoramic view and more. All these places and many others are well worth a look, hence the name chosen for this cycle ride. In fact, the word ‘Belarel’ is a combination of ‘Bel’ (beautiful) and ‘Arel’ (Arlon in Luxembourgish). Start:There is no specific starting point. So you can start your ride wherever you wish. From the centre of Arlon, the recommended starting point is at the Sainte-Croix chapel (rue de Bastogne). This route, waymarked in both directions, mainly follows paths and secondary roads. It also runs along a few regional roads. A mountain bike is not essential for this circuit. A hybrid bike is also suitable.Waymarking:

A varied walk with lovely viewpoints among fields, woods, residential districts and villages! You will cross the village of Eischen at the entrance to the Vallée des 7 Châteaux (Valley of the Seven Castles), where you will see the architecture typical of a village in the Grand Duchy. The delightful 17th-century ‘Rentertkappell’ is worth a detour. After this, you will head back up towards the city of Arlon, with a pretty viewpoint over the village of Waltzing and the bell tower of St Bernard’s church. Start: Spetz sports complex in Arlon.Waymarking: red rectangle on white background.

This walking trail takes you around the highest peak in southern Belgium, Mont Hirtzenberg, which reaches a height of 465 metres. Here you will find a very pretty viewpoint from which to admire Arlon and cross a magnificent wood of deciduous and spruce trees. Taking a look back at history, decisive battles were fought on the mount during the French Revolution in 1794! General Jourdan’s Republicans valiantly defeated the Austrians of General Beaulieu. Start: rue de Toernich, opposite No 182 (place called ‘La Maison blanche’ (The White House) – 6700 Arlon).Waymarking: red rectangle on white background.

Museum Gaspar is housed in the residence of the middle-class family Gaspar from Arlon who had set up in this house (1893) that was built in 1842. It was renovated in 2004. The two most famous members of this family are animal sculptor Jean-Marie Gaspar (1861-1931) and Charles Gaspar (1971-1950) who was a photographer and a sponsor. He gave his house to the town of Arlon on the condition they make a museum of it, dedicated to his brother's work and that put into honour the history and the heritage of Arlon. At the first floor, theree are two restored salons identical to a middle-class salon from the early 20th century that show Jean-Marie Gaspar's sculptures. and the art and picture collection of Charles Gaspar. The rest of the first floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions of the museum that alternates artv and history. A religion room shows collections about the abbey of Orval and to the people's devotion at the 18th century, and also relics from the ancient Saint-Martin church. But the Masterpiece is the famous altarpiece Retable de Fisenne - a 16th century masterpiece from the Antwerp school. Guided tours only on request by phone 063.600.654 or musee.gaspar@skynet.be (Original text by MT du Pays d?Arlon)This beautiful house was a bank at the origin. It was bought in 1893 by a middle-class family from Arlon, the family Gaspar. Jean Gaspar (1861-1931) was a sculptor. He was trained by the Antwerp sculptor Jef Lambeaux. His works are in bronze and in plaster and they are exhibited in the salons that have been restorated as they were in his house. His brother Charles (1871-1950) was a photographer, a collector and a sponsor. He gave this house to the town of Arlon. It hosts the library of the Archaeological Institute of the Belgian Province of Luxembourg and its secretary office since 1954. A wide part of the museum is also dedicated to temporary exhibitions about art and history of Arlon.

Rich in the Gallo-Roman past of Arlon, the museum houses an impressive collection that bears witness to the daily life of this period.One of the peculiarities of the museum is its imposing and rich lapidary collection, composed of several dozen fragments of ancient funerary monuments.These blocks and the objects from Roman craftsmanship will teach you more about daily life at that time.

This building was constructed between 1842 and 1843, again to a design by the architect JAMOT, to house the Athénée Royal (public secondary school) of Arlon. In later years (from 1884) it served to house the boarders (pupils who stay at the school during the week or the whole term). Over the years the building had a number of internal improvements and changes but in 1918, following heavy bombardment, the whole of the right hand wing was destroyed. Restoration took a number of years. From 1967 the immediate surroundings of the city hall were improved with some buildings being cleared. Then, in 1976, with the merging of outlying administrations with that of Arlon itself, enlargement of the city hall building became necessary. Rue Paul Reuter itself is named in commemoration of a Mayor of Arlon who, during both world wars, staunchly resisted the invaders. In front of the Town hall is another sculpture by Jean-Marie GASPAR: This work ‘Le Jass’ was erected in 1919 in homage to the dead of the Great War.

The old Résibois house, also called "Les Caves", was built on the site of the former convent of the Brotherhood of Sainte-Catherine. The front façade has been altered but retains some very interesting traces of the 16th century: the windows on the first floor, as well as the carriage entrance with Roman arch on the ground floor. The entrance is closed by powerful double doors in timber featuring Gothic motifs and opening into a covered passageway in the same style. This passageway has a ribbed valued ceiling supported by bases, two of which are dated "1566". In the courtyard, there are three wide windows with convex lintels, as well as a mezzanine and turret situated perpendicular to the dwelling. Note that in some parts of its cellars the building has retained exceptional traces of coloured decoration. Listed : 31-05-1996  

Arlon can rightly claim to be amongst the oldest cities of Belgium. Its situation derives from a location at the intersection of two major Roman roads: the road from Metz to Tongeren and the road from Reims to Trier. This ‘crossroad position’ was the reason for the economic development of Arlon and for why the locality grew prosperous during the first 3 centuries of our era. Much archaeological evidence provides us with an insight into this rich period of development. The settlement stretched over a large zone on both sides of the river Semois as well as on the southern slope of the hill.  At the end of the later Roman Empire (end of 3rd to beginning of 4th century), Gaul was invaded by Germanic tribes. The Romans reacted to this with a vast building campaign of fortifications around the main settlements. In Arlon, the Roman army decided to limit the fortification to the hilltop, rather than the vicus situated in the Semois valley. This castrum served as a refuge from the attacks. The fortifying walls were built with materials found in destroyed cemeteries and civil monuments that were dismantled. These huge sandstone blocks were used in the foundations of the wall. This is the reason why so many sculpted fragments of funerary and civil monuments have survived until now. Most of these Gallo-Roman stones were found during building works in cellars or during the construction of new buildings in the immediate surroundings of the old Roman wall.

Arlon, Gallo-Roman city!If you want to meet the God who watches over the sky and the earth, go to the Roman tower Jupiter! Who will manage to see the hand that hides in the tower?Like its “twin” Neptune, this tower was part of the rampart that had been built by the Roman army to fortify the city.It was discovered in 2009.The tower is visible from a bay window which you can access via the rue du Marquisat. Possibility of guided tour and free visit: ask at the Arlon Tourist Office.

The synagogue of Arlon is the first in Belgium.In 1860, the Israelite community of Arlon, very important for its number and for its commercial activity, decided to build a synagogue.In a romantic-Byzantine style, its exterior facade has oriental features. Arlon also houses the oldest Jewish cemetery in Wallonia still in existence (1856).

These steps were built in the 17th century by a Spanish Engineer. Originally the Montée Royale consisted of seven platforms, each separated by three steps. On each platform there was a tree and a Station of the Cross. Following occupation of the city by the troops of Louis XIV, the steps required reconstruction (1735). The “Royal Way of the Cross” had nine stations. Following a further   collapse in 1830,   another new set of steps was constructed. It was composed of several terrace, supported by arcades, and with 14 identical stone crosses.  It became a listed heritage site in 1992 and is currently undergoing renovation.

Having been located outside the city of Arlon (Rue des Thermes Romains) for more than 1,000 years, in 1558 the congregation of Saint Martin’s Church was transferred closer to the city centre. Then, in 1661, it was destroyed by a fire and not rebuilt until 1681 when Luxembourg was occupied by the troops of Louis XIV. A century later (in 1785) another fire destroyed the roof and bell tower – a blaze so fierce that the bells melted! In the 19th century the tower was demolished and then rebuilt. In 1914, following the construction of the new Church of Saint Martin, the old church was abandoned. It was finally demolished in 1935 but with the portal being transferred to this location at the foot of Saint Donat’s Hill.

The Governor's official residence in Province of Luxembourg in Arlon, a history directly linked to the fact that Arlon became the capital of the Belgian Province of LuxembourgIn 1839 Arlon became the capital of the Belgian Province of Luxembourg. At that period, it was the most populated town and it became the economic center since the loss of the town of Luxembourg. It made big sacrifices for accommodate correctly the new inhabitants and the new services. They still had to wait several years for the Governement to decide to build there a "hotel for the Provionce Government". The decision was made with the help of Minister of the Interior, Jean-Baptiste Nothomb, who was also a deputy in Arlon. In 1844 the architect A.Jamot was commisioned to design a new central square around the future Place Léopold square. Jamot was born in Mons in 1808, he trained in Paris and he set up in Arlon towards 1840.Governor's official residence in Province of Luxembourg is part of a new quarter that includes a court laws, a town hall, barracks, a hospital and so on. A new site was chosen outside the center of the town and its fortifications. The town of Arlon commited itself to break the city walls and to create th ePlace Léopold in front of the new Governor's official residence. This residence got inaugurated in 1849. Some more fittings were done after the two fires that took place in 1905 and in 1917. During the Second World War, the residence was requisitioned by the Germans who set up their Kreiskommandantur and its services inside it. (Original text by MT du Pays d⤙Arlon)

Stylish budget hotel, open to creative minds!Inspired by the harmonious surroundings of the Ardennes, ibis Styles Arlon Porte du Luxembourg is the perfect getaway. It offers 78 comfortable rooms with en-suite bathrooms and nature-inspired design. Minibar, television, and a cosy seating area for your comfort. Feeling peckish after a hike in the Ardennes? Visit our intimate restaurant, Lasperule, for a selection of locally inspired gourmet dishes, or meet up with friends in the evening for a drink and a snack at the bar.The hotel is set in the lush greenery of Arlon. Take a walk or rent a bike to explore the natural areas just outside the hotel. Only a short drive from Luxembourg, discover everything this charming city has to offer. Stroll through the Old Quarter or visit famous castles. Fancy breathtaking views and fine wine? Visit the Moselle vineyard for a tasting experience. Enjoy a shopping spree at the nearby McArthurGlen Outlet Centre.Ibis Styles Arlon Porte du Luxembourg is easily accessible from the motorway exit and is located near Arlon. This picturesque town offers a shopping centre, charming pubs and restaurants, as well as historical sites such as two Roman towers."Recharge in the unspoiled nature of the Ardennes. Our hotel is the perfect place to unwind. Enjoy stylish rooms, work out in the fitness area, and savour local cuisine in the restaurant. We are happy to have you with us!"

Enjoy a wonderful stay at the Hotel Van der Valk Luxembourg-Arlon!The rooms feature a range of facilities to make your stay unforgettable. Each of the 181 rooms, including two suites, has a flat-screen TV, a work area and a bathroom separate from the toilet.A 2500m² Wellness Centre is dedicated to your overall well-being, with relaxation and fitness facilities to offer you a unique experience! This area has a sauna, salt sauna, sanarium, steam room, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, jacuzzi, infrared seats and lounge area. The area is open to people aged 13 and over. The indoor and outdoor pools are open to all ages. The Wellness area is currently only open to hotel guests! It will be open to everyone in 2025.A 200m² fitness room is equipped with the latest technology to offer you a quality workout: treadmills, bicycles, body-building machines, etc. Like the Wellness centre, the fitness room is currently only accessible to hotel guests.The entire establishment is self-sufficient in energy thanks to a biomethanisation unit. 

Marie-Christine welcomes you to her guest house in the charming village of Hondelange, near Arlon and Luxembourg. As a passionate tourist guide, she will accompany you or suggest visits to tourist sites or walks in the region. La Hardie offers 3 elegant and comfortable guest rooms that can accommodate up to 5 people.