Nestled in a valley renowned for its natural beauty and rich history, Echternach wants to expand its housing offer to eventually have a population of 8 to 10,000 people. At the same time, the town will guarantee efficient services for all its inhabitants.

Echternach is the oldest city in Luxembourg, with a town status acquired as early as 1236. It has many historical, material and immaterial traces, such as the Denzelt or the Echternach dancing procession, recognised by Unesco. But Echternach is also situated in an exceptional natural setting, in the heart of Little Switzerland.

The town, which has a population of 5,600, therefore has many assets. But, contrary to what one might think, it lacks space. "We have an industrial estate that provides work for 1600 people, but unfortunately it is impossible to expand itexplains the town's mayor, Yves Wengler. An extension was planned some time ago, but to acquire seven hectares of agricultural land we had to pay 10 million euros... To make this investment profitable, we would have had to charge far too high a price to companies wishing to set up in the area.

Land with long lease

In this city on the German border, the price of land is therefore also a major problem. In order to provide housing for everyone, the mayor and his team have decided to use long leases. "120 single-family houses, which were already planned 50 years ago, are included in the current GAPsays Yves Wengler. However, the project, which was supported by private owners, was always postponed. The municipality has bought back part of the land and we will make it available to people interested in building a house, with a long lease. In this way, families with a "normal" income who want to build in Echternach will only have to pay for the stone. With this method, the price per square metre is almost halved.

Other housing projects exist in Echternach, notably near the basic school, where a series of flats will be built together with new commercial premises. The Housing Fund has also approved the construction of an additional 30 dwellings, as well as 200 dwellings which will be an extension of the Cité Manertchen . "Our goal is to reach a population of 8,000 to 10,000 peoplesays the mayor. The current PAG easily accommodates 8,000 people, but we believe that with a few more developments, a town like Echternach can easily accommodate another 2,000 people, without the services lagging behind.

Ensuring services for all

Ensuring that services keep pace with this population increase is indeed a priority for Yves Wengler. "We have no hospital in Echternach, so the population of the town goes to Luxembourg City or Ettelbrücksays the mayor. On the other hand, we have many doctors. And the most important specialties are represented.

As far as schools are concerned, a new building is planned as part of the "Station" master plan, namely a new sports hall for the high school. In addition, a sports hall and a new swimming pool will also be built for the needs of the municipality. "With our classical high school and the basic school, our school offer is completecontinues Yves Wengler. But the basic school was built in the 1970s, and it is time to renovate these buildings. We will take the opportunity to increase the school's capacity from 450 to 600 places. The work should start at the beginning of next year.

Preserved nature, problematic mobility

If Echternach has one thing going for it, it is certainly its exceptional living environment. The town is surrounded by forests, bordered by the river Sûre, and there is also a lake. "For sportsmen and women, there is no shortage of activities in the countryside: canoeing, jogging, walking, mountain biking, etc, says Yves Wengler. But we also have a sports hall, a swimming pool, an indoor climbing wall, football pitches, a beach volleyball court...".

This preserved environment does not, however, escape the problems of mobility which are the consequence of the town's position on the German border. Echternach is indeed crossed daily by many German border workers. Various solutions have been put forward to solve the problem. "A project to bypass the city centre was already proposed many years ago, but there were always people against itexplains the mayor. Two problems arose. Firstly, the ecological problem: Echternach being at the bottom of a valley, it would be necessary to dig unaffordable tunnels or to cut down forests in order to build this bypass. Secondly, the shopkeepers prefer people to pass through the town, as this also gives them a livelihood.

The solution chosen to improve mobility in Echternach is therefore a relief road project "This will not reduce traffic in the city, but will at least make it more bearable.says Yves Wengler.

Culture, the real jewel of Echternach

That said, Luxembourg's oldest city remains a favourite place for locals and tourists alike. And culture is undoubtedly the most important factor in its favour. "I think we are the city in Luxembourg that invests the most in cultureexplains the mayor. One third of our regular budget is used to fund this sector, which amounts to seven million euros!

Among the main items of this important budget are the music school, one of the largest in Luxembourg with about 1000 pupils, the Trifolion cultural and tourist centre, the Echternach International Music Festival or the e-Lake Festival, where 20,000 young people come every year. Echternach is not lacking in assets and offers a delicate balance between tradition and modernity!