Bicycle paradise

If you are fan of gliding through the countryside without dodging cars or inhaling exhaust fumes, Luxembourg’s Piste Cyclable 15 (PC15) might just be your two-wheeled paradise.

This scenic route, also known as the Alzette Cycle Path, stretches from the outskirts of Luxembourg City all the way to Ettelbruck. It follows the Alzette River winding through lush fields, sleepy villages and the occasional castle view.

The route is impressively car-free for most of its length. It hugs the river, sneaks under bridges, and occasionally shares space with sleepy country roads where the cows outnumber the cars.

An extensive network in the whole country

Now let’s talk about Luxembourg’s cycling network in general. For a country that’s roughly the size of a large sneeze, it punches well above its weight. With over 600 km of dedicated cycle paths and plans to expand to 1,400 km, Luxembourg is clearly trying to out-bike its neighbours. And honestly, it’s doing a decent job.

The infrastructure is well-maintained, clearly signposted, and often separated from traffic. It’s like someone actually thought about cyclists when designing it. Shocking, I know.

How it compares to other places in Europe?

But how does Luxembourg compare to the cycling giants like the Netherlands and Denmark?

Well, the Netherlands is basically a bicycle theme park. It has more bikes than people and over 30,000 km of cycle paths. Denmark is no slouch either, with around 7,000 km of dedicated paths and a national obsession with cargo bikes. Luxembourg, with its 600 km, might seem like the underdog. But when you consider the country’s tiny size and population, the density of bike paths per square kilometre is actually quite impressive.

In terms of bikes per capita, the Netherlands leads with 1.3 bikes per person. Denmark follows with about 0.9. Luxembourg doesn’t quite reach those dizzying heights, but it’s catching up. Slowly. Like a cyclist on a steep hill who forgot to charge their e-bike.