Explore Clervaux

About Clervaux

Clervaux (Klierf in Luxembourgish) is a postcard-perfect small town tucked into a tight bend of the Clerve river in the densely forested Eislék uplands of northern Luxembourg. The dramatic white Clervaux Castle, set on a rocky spur above the rooftops, dates to the 12th century and has been repeatedly damaged and restored — most recently after heavy fighting during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The castle now houses three excellent museums: the Battle of the Bulge Museum (one of the most moving WWII collections in the region, with American GI uniforms, weapons, photographs, and personal stories from the brutal Ardennes counter-offensive), the Family of Man permanent photographic exhibition (Edward Steichen's revolutionary 1955 collection of 503 photographs from 68 countries, UNESCO-listed under the Memory of the World register, set up at his birthplace), and a small Museum of Models of Luxembourg's Castles. The 18th-century Benedictine Abbey of St Maurice and St Maur, perched on the steep wooded slope above town with its dramatic neo-Romanesque pinkish-white facade, is a working monastery and the most photographed building from below. Clervaux is also the starting point for excellent hikes through the Naturpark Öewersauer.