Livin' La Vida Luxem: Larochette

SO...Yet again, I've been approached with the Landscaper's Dilemma. I received two more offers for landscape gigs recently. Seriously - the first request was for mowing someone's lawn. I'm over 40 years old - seriously. Now, the second offer is a bit more intriguing...I've been asked to take a look at a cottage in the Burgundy region of France. I hope to get down there in the next couple of weeks, so I will keep you posted on this project. What a great way to see the world...

What do people think an International Man of Leisure gets up to in his spare time!!? Mow Grass? Au contraire, mes amis! I go and find Castles to explore!

Today's Castle is the Chateau Larochette

There's even a Larochette hat you can have your picture taken in...let me tell you, balancing that sucker was pretty tough!

The Chateau Larochette is also in the Mullerthal region of Luxembourg, and consists of a main house situated on a sandstone bluff as well as a lower 'Outer Works' all framed with a fortress wall. The spire rising out of my head in the photo above is the interior gate separating the main Castle from the lower works (to the right). The ruins were passed on to the Grand Duchy in the 1970's with the Manor House being completely restored over the years. The entire site is now a gallery for local artists. There are sculptures throughout the grounds, and inside the Manor House paintings and other framed art adorn the walls.

Local art hanging in the Great Hall.

I threw the boys in the Mini Cooper and together we zipped up to Mullerthal which is only a 30-40 minute drive from the Ville. The village of Larochette is quite nice with a main plaza that hosts events all year round plus many restaurants and shops. Equipped with my Luxembourg survival kit (i.e. raincoat, sunglasses, umbrella and dog snacks) I proceeded up to the castle bluff with Toby and Jonas leading the charge. Rather than drive up we took the ancient route from the town which led through terraced homes and felt just a bit more authentic. The online directions state you can walk up from rue de Mersch "next to house no. 48." Sure enough the path leads right along several of the villagers' garden gates.

...and we're off!

As we approached this particular ruin, it really became apparent why Luxembourg was able to remain independent through the centuries. You'd have to be absolutely nuts to try and storm this place...and this was just one of the vassals of the Grand Duc! The original fortress dates back to the 12th century with the main Manor being built around 1350. Archeological excavations in the vaults below the castle have revealed Celtic artifacts at the site dating back to 5,000 BC! The ruins are an excellent example of medieval architecture. You really can see how {privileged} people lived, and Chateau Larochette must have been quite a nice place to live...if you were the Lord of the Manor, that is.

Inside the Outer Works looking toward the Main House.

Toby had some difficulty staying still for his picture, so this was the best photo I could take. The grassy expanse inside the Castle wall would be a fantastic place for a picnic. I tried to capture this beauty with the boys as my subject, but takes 1 through 5 of the Pooches Portrait looked more like this...


Some of the gardens within the castle grounds - with one of my favorite's 'Solomon's Seal'

The Manor House of the Chateau has been completely rebuilt and is a great place for a gallery. Currently there are paintings, sculptures, photography and mixed media displayed. What a great use of space, and it's also an excellent way to ensure this space will remain relevant for generations to come!

Close up with the Manor House


The throne room in the main house - now a fantastic display area.


The vaulted 'basement' of the Manor House.

View of the Village of Larochette - can you spot Vicki? ;-)

We decided to take a scenic route back to the village. This part of Luxembourg is truly beautiful, and as an added bonus there are miles and miles of hiking trails. The dogs and I hopped on an adjacent trail and wound our way down to the river valley and eventually back to the town square. The walk was nice, and we came across some very interesting things along the way! Up next on my Cavalcade of Castles is Luxembourg's Valley of Seven Chateaux...stay tuned!