Where to Stand-up Paddleboard in Luxembourg

LuxembourgGermany

Jul 2

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe, with a population of not much more than half a million and an area of just 2,500 square kilometres. Landlocked between Belgium, France and Germany, this tiny corner of Europe would be easy to overlook when planning a stand-up paddleboarding adventure. I’m embarrassed to admit that I almost did pass by without stopping for a paddle.

Relaxing after lunch in Prague, having paddled in 11 different countries over 19 days, I began to plot my route back to Calais and the ferry crossing back to England. That’s when I spotted Luxembourg, not far from the optimal route home. I had time to spare.

But where to paddle in Luxembourg? I asked the universe, ie Facebook. My son-in-law Mark came back almost immediately with a link to SUP Rosport. The owner, Alain Wolfe, invited me to the River Sauer to use his jetty at the Rosport campsite. The Sauer flows 173 kilometres from its source in Belgium, becoming a tributary of the Moselle in Germany. For much of its length, it forms the border between Luxembourg and Belgium and between Luxembourg and Germany. Rosport sits right on the border with Germany.

I arrived at the campsite early afternoon and easily found the launch point. Alain wasn’t around, but following his instructions, I paddled upstream with Luxembourg to my left and Germany on the right until the water became shallow. The June weather was perfect, the sun warming my bare limbs as I paddled over flat water with just the tiniest hint of a breeze. A bright yellow Hawaiian-style shirt seemed to be an excellent item to wear, a colour which attracted a multitude of brilliant blue, almost fluorescent fireflies to entertain me as I turned to go back downstream. I met Alain and his student Mireille on my return to the campsite.