Grand-Château d'Ansembourg
- fjpaley
- May 13
- 3 min read
I took advantage of the first May public holiday to visit the gardens at the Grand-Château d'Ansembourg, located in the excitingly-named Valley of the Seven Castles in the Guttland area of Luxembourg. Located only 20 minutes north of Luxembourg City Centre it felt a lot further away.
The castle itself is privately owned and not open to visitors, although you can visit the gardens which are open daily from 10am-6pm and are free to visit. That said, after profiting from the beautiful surroundings you may wish to make a donation towards the continued upkeep of the gardens as you leave.
Why Visit?
The Ansembourg Grand-Château was built in the first half of the 17th century and the gardens established in 1750. In keeping with gardens of the time you can freely walk the terraces, see ponds and water fountains and wander on the elegant stairs and past the statues. The site is just over 3 hectares which makes it perfect for an hour or two if you are looking for culture with horticulture (more on that in a minute) and a bit of history.
What I discovered
It is an easy place to visit with ample parking, although it is possible to visit using public transport too. There is a sign on entry warning you about the garden rules; I'm afraid it is not possible to take dogs and picnics are not permitted. These are understandable rules as the quiet of the garden was not disturbed at all and, even though there were numerous visitors, it didn't feel too overcrowded.
What to see
They have a maze! It is fairly simple so you won't get lost but it is very charming for children to walk through. In addition there is an alley lined with statues from Greek myths so it was a good way to test my knowledge and refresh my mythological education!
If you have the slightest interest in plants or flowers then this is the garden for you. We visited at the end of spring and were lucky enough to see the beautiful cherry blossom trees. I imagine they would have been even more stunning if we had visited a week earlier.
The thing to really look out for is the roses. My visit was a little too early for what will surely be the most beautiful rose garden in Luxembourg during the summer months. On Wednesday 16 July they will have a free guided tour of the rose garden. You can find out more and sign up by going to their website
Luxembourg has a long-standing relationship with roses and was known as Rose Country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You can find a detailed account of this history here
The Grand-Chateau d'Ansembourg also has a herb garden and we were thrilled to discover a plant labelled 'Artemisia abrotanum, Armoise Coca-Cola.' If you get down and close the leaves actually do smell of coca cola! Initial research tells me that it is a popular herb belonging to the artesmisia family which also includes things like sage and tarragon. Apparently it is edible but can be rather bitter and the cola fragrance doesn't easily convert to a cola taste when consumed. Nevertheless, I am now on the lookout for some to add to our own herb garden at home!
Visiting Information
The castle gardens are open every day from 10am-6pm although visitors are advised to check as sometimes the gardens are closed due to private events. If so, they will be clearly marked on their website which you can find here
The address is 10 rue de la Vallée, L-7411 Ansembourg and if you are coming by car you can exit at the Mamer/Cappellen junction or the Mersch junction. You can also use public transport. The castle is a five minute walk from the bus stop 'Kapell à Ansembourg' but from Luxembourg City Centre you need to take a train to Mersch and then a bus.
There is no café on site and only a small bathroom so I recommend that you factor these things into your visit. We ate our lunch before we visited as there are no picnics allowed.
Final verdict
I'll definitely be back in the summertime to see the rose garden in full bloom. It is a great place to bring visitors, either as a standalone destination or to combine with a walk in the countryside.