The Casemates in the capital have become a key destination for tourists seeking to cool off during the heatwave, but north-western Luxembourg has somewhere quite different to offer.
In Haut-Martelange, the former slate mines are now a museum, the Musée de L'Ardoise, made up of 22 authentic buildings with exhibitions detailing the country's slate mining history.
The big attraction here is the "Johanna" mine, 42 metres beneath the ground. Visitors climb down 370 steps to reach the mine, where they can see how the slate was mined in the past and experience the conditions miners worked in.
The mine offers a very cool constant 9° Celsius shelter from the extreme heat. Visitors are advised to bring a jacket, as the stark difference from the heat outside to the mine's chilly conditions can be a bit of a shock, according to museum staff.
45 people are admitted entry every 45 minutes. In normal times this is not an issue, but the museum is currently in high demand due to the heatwave, so it is recommended to reserve tickets via telephone or on their website.
The museum confirmed to RTL that they were seeing more families with young children visiting during the extreme weather conditions, which can lead to visitors taking a bit longer to complete the tour. Visitors can easily spend around an hour at the museum, if they read all the signage and look at every exhibit.
A large number of visitors have already registered for visits over the weekend, when record high temperatures are expected. It is recommended to book in advance to avoid disappointment.
The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10am to 6pm. The last mine tour groups are admitted at 4.30pm. There is a small café on site selling drinks and snacks, although seating is limited. There is also plenty of parking, and toilets by the entrance.
If you know of anywhere else to escape from the heat, let us know!
