The valley is the reason to live here
Hesperange runs along the Alzette south of the city, which gives it something most of Luxembourg City does not have: a long, green, level walking corridor that follows the water. For a dog, that is worth more than any amount of garden.
The commune mixes older village streets, family houses and newer apartment buildings, and the households I work with here are usually commuters into the city or the Cloche d'Or, with dogs that are alone through the working day.
Where we walk
The Alzette valley paths. Level ground, water, trees and shade, which makes this the best summer walking in the whole service area and the kindest option for arthritic and elderly dogs all year.
The park and the green spaces around the old centre. Grass, benches, calm at midday, and a good place for a dog that needs a gentle forty-five minutes rather than a hike.
The fields and paths on the higher ground. Longer sight lines and space for a fit dog, and a sensible place for long-line recall work away from traffic.
Things worth knowing here
- Water. The Alzette is attractive to most dogs and not always safe to enter, particularly after heavy rain or in warm, still conditions when algae can be a risk. Dogs go in only where you have agreed it, and never in standing green water
- Wildlife. Deer, foxes and waterfowl along the valley. A dog with an unreliable recall stays on a long line, which is not a judgement on the dog but on the environment
- Ticks. Valley grass is tick country from early spring. Hands-on check after every walk in that ground
- Mud. The valley holds water in winter. Paws rinsed and dried before I leave the house
The usual booking
A mixture of forty-five minute midday walks and sixty-minute valley walks, depending on the dog. For older dogs, the valley at a slow pace is frequently the only walk of the day that is genuinely comfortable, and it is worth booking for that reason alone.
