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Industrial heritage · Esch-sur-Alzette, Esch-sur-Alzette
Minett Park Fond-de-Gras
Former mining and railway area near Pétange, now an open-air museum, featuring the Train 1900, a historic steam train, and the mine train that travels through a gallery to the village of Lasauvage. It operates on Sundays and public holidays during the season.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Minett Park Fond-de-Gras
Fond-de-Gras is a valley near Pétange and Differdange, about 15 km from Esch, where iron mines, a freight railway station and industrial facilities once operated. After mining stopped, the area was preserved and turned into the Minett Park Fond-de-Gras, an open-air museum of mining and railway heritage.
The main attraction is the trains. The Train 1900, with steam locomotives and period carriages restored by volunteers, runs the route between Pétange and Fond-de-Gras. From Fond-de-Gras, the Minièresbunn, a narrow-gauge mine train, enters an underground gallery and continues to the village of Lasauvage, a former mining village near the French border, where there is a small museum and miners' houses.
At Fond-de-Gras itself you can see the old station, the period grocery, the power plant, sheds with locomotives and equipment and trails to the old open-cast mines. The park also includes the Giele Botter mine and the Titelberg plateau, where a fortified Celtic town once stood.
Trains usually run on Sundays and public holidays from May to September, with special days throughout the season. Outside those days, the area and the trails can be visited, but without the trains.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Half a day, including the steam train ride, the mine train to Lasauvage and the return.
Best time
On Sundays and public holidays from May to September, when the trains usually operate. Check the calendar and times before you go, as there are special days and changes.
How to get there
It's located between Pétange and Differdange, about 15 km from Esch. On operating days, the Train 1900 departs from Pétange, which has a rail station on the line to the capital. By car, there is parking at Fond-de-Gras.
Tip
Arrive at Pétange by train and do the full route: Train 1900 to Fond-de-Gras and Minièresbunn to Lasauvage. Bring a jacket for the passage through the gallery, which is cold and damp.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Minett Park Fond-de-Gras
When do the Fond-de-Gras trains run?
They usually run on Sundays and public holidays from May to September, with special event days. Check the timetable before you go.
What is the Minièresbunn?
A narrow-gauge mine train that departs Fond-de-Gras, passes through an underground gallery and reaches the village of Lasauvage, near the French border.
Can you get there without a car?
Yes, on operating days: take the train to Pétange and board the Train 1900 to Fond-de-Gras.
What is the Titelberg?
A plateau near Fond-de-Gras that was the site of a fortified Celtic town, later occupied by the Romans. It is part of the Minett Park.