Belgium and Luxembourg (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG THROUGH THE YEAR 35

Temperature chart

This chart gives the

average maximum

and miminum tem-

peratures for Belgium

and Luxembourg.

Although generally

mild, winters can

sometimes be bitter,

especially on higher

ground in the

Ardennes and when

northeasterly winds

blow across the plains.

Participants at the Sprangprëssessioun, Echternach’s dancing parade

AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE

°C

30

24

18

12

6

-1

°F

85

75

65

55

45

30

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

dancers spring past the

tomb of St Willibrord, the

founder of the abbey here.

National Holiday (23 Jun),

nationwide. Municipal func-

tions and parties mark the

birthday of Grand Duchess

Charlotte (r.1919–64).

International Festival

of Music (May–Jun),

Echternach. A notable

festival of classical and jazz

music, drawing top names.

Open-air Festival of Theatre

and Music (weekends in

Jul), Wiltz. This offers a

varied programme of opera,

music and dance in an out-

door theatre (see p310).

Schueberfouer (Aug/Sep),

Luxembourg City. This

modern descendant of a

medieval shepherds’ mar-

ket is known for serving

traditional food and drink.

Grape and Wine Festival

(2nd weekend in Sep),

Grevenmacher. Held as

thanksgiving for the grape

harvest, the merrymaking

starts with the coronation

of the Queen of Grapes

and culminates in floats

offering free wine.

Liichtmesdag (2 Feb),

nationwide. In medieval

times, the poor asked for

food on St Blasius’s day.

Today, children with lan-

terns carry on the tradition

by begging for treats.

Carnival (Sun before Shrove

Tue), nationwide. Parades

take place in many towns.

Diekirch’s has donkeys, the

town’s mascot, while at

Remich, stréimännchen

(straw guys) are set alight

and cast into the Moselle.

Buergsonndeg (Sun after

Shrove Tue), nationwide.

In an ancient tradition of

buergbrennen (bonfire

burning), fires are lit on

hilltops to drive out winter.

Éimaischen (Easter Mon),

Nospelt and Luxembourg

City. Pottery is a key feature

at this folk fair. Visitors take

back péckvillchen, or bird-

shaped cuckoo-whistles.

Octave (late Apr),

Luxembourg City. Pilgrims

parade to the cathedral in

honour of a statue of Maria

Consolatrix Afflictorum.

Sprangprëssessioun (Whit

Tue), Echternach. Ranks of

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Day (1 Jan)

Easter Sunday (variable)

Easter Monday (variable)

Labour Day (1 May)

Ascension Day (variable)

Whit Sunday (variable)

Whit Monday (variable)

Luxembourg’s National

Day (23 Jun)

Belgian National

Day (21 Jul)

Assumption Day (15 Aug)

All Saints’ Day (1 Nov)

Armistice Day (11 Nov)

Christmas (25 Dec)

LUXEMBOURG THROUGH THE YEAR

Ronsense Bommelfeesten
(Sat after 6 Jan), Ronse. This
“festival of fools” centres on
a parade of knock-about
characters called Bommels.

FEBRUARY

Carnival (Thu–Shrove Tue),
nationwide. The weekend
before Lent is marked by par-
ades in many cities. Eupen
celebrates the arrival of His
Madness, Prince of Carnival,
and Rosenmontag (Rose
Monday). Masked folkloric
figures called haguètes grab
onlookers with huge pincers
in Malmedy, while Aalst has
satirical floats followed by
Voil Jeannetten (Dirty Jennies)
in male drag. The best-known
carnival, at Binche, is a sea
of parading gilles, or bizarrely
costumed jesters (see p190).
Krakelingenstoet (last Sun),
Geraardsbergen. A costumed
parade is followed by throw-
ing krakelingen (ring-shaped
pastries) into the crowd,
recalling a 14th-century event.