Maastricht to Luxembourg and beyond

[WokeWalker]

I've just started and made it to líege today which was quiet a mission. Unfortunately I've been struggling to organise accommodation any further on than I already am... I've go a tent and im happy to camp but their are no bivakzones along my route, couchsurf.com has not been able to help me so far and I don't really want to for fork out for accommodation that's overpriced unless I really need to. Can anyone reccomend anything? Or am I going to have to try my luck hiding the tent in a field?
My route is Spa - Ouren - Diekirch

 

[SabsP]

Are you going on the Via Monastica?
What will be your next stops?
I live relatively close by. 30 min from Liege.
PM me if yoy need help with booking etc.and yes not much campinzones especially when not summer.

 

[Penbaysail]

I spent several days walking on GR14 (Via Arduinna?) from Varennes in the Argonne towards Belgium. I met a French walker one day coming the other direction, and I was the first distance walker that he had met in a month, and this was in August

I got discouraged by the lack of services (i.e. nowhere to buy food), seemingly deserted villages, and no place to easily pitch a tent. Several of the trail markers and the trail itself in places had been obliterated by logging operations.

I decided to get on a train and head to southern France for walking on Chemin LePuy. Very glad that I made the switch since I found both the villages and the pilgrim community much more vibrant.

 

[WokeWalker]

Are you going on the Via Monastica?
What will be your next stops?
I live relatively close by. 30 min from Liege.
PM me if yoy need help with booking etc.and yes not much campinzones especially when not summer.

I'm unable to find monastica on any map so I'm going out on a limb and saying no? I'm aiming for spa but I don't think I'll make it in one day. Thanks for confirming what I suspected to be the case

 

[WokeWalker]

I spent several days walking on GR14 (Via Arduinna?) from Varennes in the Argonne towards Belgium. I met a French walker one day coming the other direction, and I was the first distance walker that he had met in a month, and this was in August

I got discouraged by the lack of services (i.e. nowhere to buy food), seemingly deserted villages, and no place to easily pitch a tent. Several of the trail markers and the trail itself in places had been obliterated by logging operations.

I decided to get on a train and head to southern France for walking on Chemin LePuy. Very glad that I made the switch since I found both the villages and the pilgrim community much more vibrant.

Thanks for the insight I'll be careful to not commit to heavily to the route if this sort stuff seems like it's going to happen to me

 

[Purky]

Looks like you are on the Via Mosana (Maastricht - Luik - Hoei - Namen). From what I've learned doing a quick search online, there isn't much pilgrim accommodation available. That will change a bit when you reach Namen and continue on the Via Monastica (Namen/Namur - Givet - Olloy-sur-Viron - Rocroi). Since I don't know which way you want to go, any advice at this stage is probably pointless.

However, if you do plan to head towards Namen and continue on to Rocroi (on the way to Vezelay by way of the Via Campaniensis), I can probably help you out with places to stay from my 2016 guides. If so, please don't hesitate to PM me, I'll be glad to help. Until then, I've usually found farmers and people living in that area very willing to help out with a piece of meadow or garden to pitch a tent, or sometimes even a bed and a meal. All the best, and let me know if I can be of assistance.

 

[SabsP]

Thanks for the insight I'll be careful to not commit to heavily to the route if this sort stuff seems like it's going to happen to me

Ah I see you are going TO Luxemburg not to France and Spain? Do I guess correctly?

Liege to Spa almost passes Banneux, a well known local pilgrimage place worshipping Our Lady.
Sleeping places :
http://www.banneux-nd.be/gb/hndgb.htm


Spa itself is expensive.

 

[WokeWalker]

Luxembourg is the first leg then I'm going into France and then Spain. Thanks for the help!

 

[SabsP]

Luxembourg is the first leg then I'm going into France and then Spain. Thanks for the help!

But is not a detour?
From Liege you can easily walk more southwards like Purky wrote?

 

[JaneR]

I walked from Houffalize to Trier in April 2012, staying in hotels in Troisvierges and Ouren, a campground in Untereisenbach, then the youth hostels in Vianden and Echternach. It was not always easy to find a shop or even a bakery to buy food. Many of the villages did seem quite deserted ("bedroom communities" with the inhabitants working in the city?) On the other hand, the walk itself was lovely. I would single out the stretch after Ouren in particular as very picturesque.
From Spa to Ouren, the most direct route will not take you through Houffalize, but there is a bed here available for you if you do come this way!

 

[Purky]

If your route is Spa - Ouren - Diekirch, you can maybe use the route and available accomodations (including a few campsites) that are on the Eislek trail and Lee trail in Luxemburg, southbound from either Troisvierges or Clervaux on. More info on Eislek and Lee.