Experiencing Europe: The charm of Val Fleuri

We recently moved to a new place called Val Fleuri in the city of BelAir, located on a charming street that winds uphill, dotted with flowering windows and burgeoning gardens. This is the kind of place that strikes the right balance between the serene life of a village, friendly folks who stop to greet you, large gardens and woods to amble in and the easy availability of grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and hairdressers just a few minutes away.

I cannot stress on how picturesque this street looks, with its old stone houses, sloping roofs, painted garden gnomes and an array of beautiful flowers springing from every patch of mud there is.

I would have loved to take more snaps, but as I am still very new here, I do not wish to risk being labelled the neighbourhood spy :)

But, just to give you an idea of the kind of sights you might expect to see over here. Take a look at this picture.

This is the ruins of an old windmill, just a 5 minute walk from our house. I wish I knew which period it belonged to. All I know is that it is really old and is now listed as a cultural heritage. 

This park is my favourite haunt. Here beside the waters, there is a bench, sitting on which, I do my thinking. The only distractions are the pretty ducks that glide by, throwing an occasional glance at me.

Here are some of the friendliest pigeons I have ever come across. They will trot by your ankle, pecking the ground in abandon, absolutely nonchalant about a 5 ft 5" human sitting with a camera focussed on them.

Notice the rising steeple of the church and the large open courtyard. It feels like I have walked back a few centuries into the past. There are no high rise buildings, no huge billboards and very less traffic in and around Val Fleuri. Just some houses that had huddled together many years ago to discuss their lives, standing still, oblivious to the flow of time.

A random door that I came across while walking. Notice the work on it. On top you see engraved the 'Coat of Arms' of Luxembourg. The old fashioned lamps hung on either side are lit up at night casting an ethereal glow all around.

This is the market area, a comparatively modern neighbourhood. But, if you look closely you can see elements of the modern blending in with the quaint.

A bicycle ride or a healthy amble on my feet are perfect ways for covering the beautiful town of BelAir.