Clervaux is a town of 5,200 people (2018) in the Our Natural Park in northern Luxembourg. Clervaux is a picturesque town that is popular with tourists. Its major attractions are the Saint-Maurice-et-Saint-Maur abbey, and
Clervaux’s charm lies less in grand monuments than in its gentle rhythm of daily life. A stroll along the river Clerve reveals a network of narrow footbridges and quiet cafés where locals linger over a cup of coffee, watching cyclists glide past. The surrounding Ardennes hills offer modest yet rewarding hikes; the trail to the nearby Haff Réimech, a modest lake, provides a tranquil spot for a picnic under pine canopies. In the winter, the town’s streets are lit by soft sodium lamps that give the old stone houses a muted glow, encouraging a slower, reflective pace that contrasts sharply with Luxembourg’s busier southern districts.
While the town’s calendar is modest, timing a visit to align with regional festivals offers a glimpse into local identity. Early September brings the annual harvest market, where farmers display apples, cheese, and homemade preserves; the scents drift through the town centre, inviting spontaneous tastings. Late November sees the lights of the Advent market, a modest affair compared with larger cities, yet its handcrafted ornaments and mulled wine provide an authentic seasonal atmosphere. For those inclined to photography, the low winter sun casts long shadows across the stone façades, creating patterns that highlight the town’s medieval layout without the crowds of peak summer months.
Commune in LuxembourgClervaux Clierf (Luxembourgish)Clerf (German)Commune Coat of armsMap of Clervaux 1 to 100 Scale With lakesCoordinates: 50°03′00″N 6°02′00″E / 50.05°N 6.0333°E / 50.05; 6.0333Country LuxembourgCantonClervauxGovernment • MayorGeorges Keipes (Independent)Area • Total85.05 km2 (32.84 sq mi) • Rank2nd of 100Highest elevation548 m (1,798 ft) • Rank3rd of 100Lowest elevation276 m (906 ft) • Rank77th of 100Population (2025) • Total6,289 • Rank25th of 100 • Density73.94/km2 (191.5/sq mi)  • Rank84th of 100Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)LAU 2LU0000501Websiteclervaux.lu Clervaux (French: [klɛʁvo]; Luxembourgish: Clierf [kliɐ̯f] ⓘ or locally Cliärref [ˈkli̯ɛʀəf]; German: Clerf [klɛʁf]) is a commune and town in northern Luxembourg, situated in the canton of the same name. The town's arms, granted in 1896, show three blackbirds on a gold ground in the chief of a red shield, as a variation of the arms of the former Lords of Clervaux. As of 2025[update], the town of Clervaux, which lies in the southwest of the commune, has a population of 1,609.
[edit] The city was the site of heavy fighting during World War II, in the December 1944 Battle of Clervaux, part of the "Battle of the Bulge".
[edit] Historical populationYearPop.±%18212,468—    18513,868+56.7%19003,945+2.0%19104,197+6.4%19224,171−0.6%19353,991−4.3%YearPop.±%19473,599−9.8%19603,196−11.2%19703,041−4.8%19812,834−6.8%19903,181+12.2%20003,315+4.2%YearPop.±%20053,819+15.2%20104,231+10.8%20154,815+13.8%20205,463+13.5%20215,605+2.6%Source: Source data
[edit] The Family of Man, a famous exhibit of photos collected by Edward Steichen, is on permanent display in Clervaux Castle. The castle also includes the Battle of the Bulge Museum, with an extensive collection of American, German, and Luxembourgish artifacts from World War II, and an exhibition of models of the castles and palaces of Luxembourg. A U.S. Sherman tank that participated in the battle for Clervaux and a German 88 anti-aircraft/anti-tank artillery piece are on display in front of the castle. The Abbey of St. Maurice and St. Maur is situated on the hills above the town of Clervaux. Notable associations include Halldór Laxness, 1902–1998, the Nobel Prize-winning Icelandic writer, who converted to Roman Catholicism while staying at the abbey. A Roman Catholic mission to Scandinavia has for many years maintained a base at the abbey. The town is also home to a parish church, built between 1910 and 1912 in the Rheinisch-Romanesque style, and to an eighteenth-century chapel.
[edit] Édouard Thilges (1817–1904), a Luxembourgish politician; the 7th Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving from 1885 to 1888. Émile Colling (1899–1981), a Luxembourgish medical doctor, politician and diplomat. Camille Dimmer (1939–2023), a Luxembourgish footballer, played 19 games for Luxembourg Marianne Majerus (born 1956), a leading specialist garden photographer
[edit] Clervaux railway station serves the town and the surrounding area, with trains to Luxembourg City and Liège, Belgium.
[edit] See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Luxembourg Clervaux is twinned with: Horezu, Romania Eijsden-Margraten, Netherlands
[edit] The commune consists of the following villages: Clervaux Section: Clervaux Eselborn (Eeselbur) Mecher (Mecher) Reuler (Reiler) Urspelt (Ischpelt) Weicherdange (Wäicherdang) Kaaspelterhof (Kaaspelt) (lieu-dit) Kirelshof (Kirelshaff) (lieu-dit) Wirtgensmühle (Wirtgensmillen) (lieu-dit) Heinerscheid Section: Fischbach (Fëschbech) Grindhausen (Grandsen) Heinerscheid (Hengescht) Hupperdange (Hëpperdang) Kalborn (Kaalber) Lieler (Léiler) Fossenhof (Fossenhaff) (lieu-dit) Kaesfurt (Kéisfuert) (lieu-dit) Kalborn-Moulin (Kaalber Millen) (lieu-dit) Lausdorn* (Lausduer) (lieu-dit) Tintesmühle (Tëntesmillen) (lieu-dit) Munshausen Section: Drauffelt (Draufelt) Marnach (Maarnech) Munshausen (Munzen) Roder (Rueder) Siebenaler (Siwwenaler) Note: * - partially shared with the Commune of Wäisswampech
[edit] Castle of Clervaux Castle of Clervaux Church Saints Cosmas and Damian (1910-1912)