On the occasion of Nature Day and the 48 Hours of Urban Agriculture initiative, a cross-border community orchard walk is taking place on Sunday 18 May 2025, between Audun-le-Tiche and Esch-sur-Alzette, as part of the Interreg Europe project "ACTE – Avec les Citoyens pour la Transition Écologique".
This event, open to all, offers a friendly 5 km walk between France and Luxembourg to discover cross-border orchards accessible to citizens and their role in preserving biodiversity and the ecological transition.
Starting point: the municipal orchard of Audun-le-Tiche, France (reception from 09:45)
Arrival: Ellergronn nature reserve in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg (around 12:15)
A free shuttle bus service will be available for participants coming from Esch-sur-Alzette: reception from 09:15 at the Centre FORMIDA (121 Rue Jean-Pierre Bausch, L-4023 Esch-sur-Alzette); departure by bus at 09:30 for Audun-le-Tiche.
On the agenda is a nature walk to discover the orchards (open to pick your own fruit), as well as discussions on the ecological and social role of orchards in our regions, a presentation by Teranga - the house of agricultural and food transition (SOS Faim) on edible wild plants, and "a warm moment among citizens committed to a more sustainable future". Participation is free of charge, although registration is required at: https://participation.transition-minett.lu/fr-FR/events/4b37c28b-4507-4493-886d-189e5f9ff2c7
This event is part of the cross-border dynamic of the "Vergers Citoyens" (Citizens' Orchards) project, led by the partners of the ACTE project. This project has extended the "Ruban Jaune" (Yellow Ribbon) initiative, widely used in Luxembourg, to France and aims to map open fruit-picking areas to: promote the orchards and fruit-picking areas already present in the thirteen municipalities of Alzette-Belval; transform these places into spaces for meeting, sharing and conviviality; encourage local, responsible, freely accessible and "delicious" consumption; create walking and cycling trails for fruit and berry harvesting.
Residents on both sides of the border are encouraged to: help identify and promote existing orchards; participate in collective harvests and culinary transformation activities; respect, preserve and bring these spaces to life together.
