For the 42nd episode of our podcast Minett Mash-Up, we’re once again visiting Belval—though this time, we’re in the part of the neighborhood belonging to the municipality of Sanem. This municipality, which consists of the four localities Belvaux, Soleuvre, Ehlerange, and Sanem, is a place where the industrial and natural heritage of the Minett Biosphere complement each other perfectly. Even though Marieke from the Musée vun der Aarbecht could not join us due to illness, questions on work, as well as those concerning industrial heritage, nature, and our guest, are addressed without interruption.
Our “Minett Location” of the month: Pavilion Source Belval
The location for this episode is the Pavilion of the Source Belval, a place that was created as a remembrance of the former Belval mineral water within the framework of Esch2022. Here, you can enjoy a drink or a snack in a cozy atmosphere—homage to the industrial past of the source Bel-Val.
Not far from the source of one of the world’s most renowned mineral waters from the early 20th century, this site serves as a reminder of a unique piece of Luxembourg’s industrial history. In this episode of Minett Mash-Up, we also discuss the potential of integrating the Source Bel-Val into educational or tourism projects in order to raise awareness of the importance of water in the local heritage. The site symbolizes the connection between industrial culture and the natural treasures of the Minett region.
Our guest: Simone Asselborn-Bintz
This episode’s guest is Simone Asselborn-Bintz, the mayor of Sanem and the only woman heading one of the eleven municipalities in the Minett Biosphere. The conversation highlights her political career, including the differences between her mayoral mandate and her time in Parliament. We explore why there are so few women leading Luxembourgish municipalities, and Simone Asselborn-Bintz also shares her personal journey into politics, explaining how her parents—the actor Aly Bintz and the radio presenter and local politician Micky Erpelding—were more of a deterrent than a motivation.
As a former educator, our guest also explains how her professional experience has influenced her political views, especially on social issues. She shares her perspectives on gender equality in the workforce and politics. The woodlark—a small ground-nesting bird and a key species in the Minett Biosphere—also comes up in the conversation.
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© Minett UNESCO Biosphere
Our quiz
In which year did production at the Bel-Val spring stop?
- 1925
- 1930
- 1935*
How many people worked in the factory that bottled water from the “Source du Bel-Val” and produced lemonade in 1907/08?
- around 15 people
- around 50 people*
- around 100 people
How did the number of woodlark breeding pairs in the Minett Biosphere change from 2019 to 2024?
- it decreased by 3 pairs
- it remained exactly the same
- it increased by 10 pairs*
Links to the topics of this episode:
- Municipaliyt of Sanem: One of the 11 municipalities in the Minett UNESCO Biosphere
- Belval: District on a part of the Esch-Belval steelworks, 2/3 of which are in the Municipality of Sanem
- Pavillon Source Belval: Reminds visitors of Belval’s mineral water history
- Park Belval: Large park at the Belval site, between Square Mile and the residential areas of Belvaux
- Kultur- a Geschichtshaus “A Gadder”: Archive and local museum of Sanem
- De Wee vum Steen: Walking tour in Belvaux by the old iron ore crusher
- Journée Européenne du Patrimoine: Initiative to valorize historical heritage across Europe
- Aly Bintz: Audioportrait of one of Luxembourg’s most famous entertainers of the 20th century who was the father of Simone Asselborn-Bintz
- Micki Erpelding: Entertainer, radio presenter, local politician. She was married to Aly Bintz and Simone Asselborn-Bintz’ mother
- Bieleser Gaalgebierg: Playground with barbecue places on the hill between Belvaux, Soleuvre, and Oberkorn
- Léierpad Zolwerknapp: Nature themed pedagogical trail in Soleuvre
- Schloss Sassenheim: Historic building from the 18th century, emerged from a 13th-century castle
- Woodlark: Small ground-nesting bird, one of the key species of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere
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