Most weekends, you’d be forgiven for thinking each one of Luxembourg’s 600,000 residents have decamped to the capital’s pools, with queues snaking around car parks and a one-in-one-out policies reminiscent of the hottest night clubs.

So with the mercury hitting 35 degrees Celsius again this week, it might be time to get creative in the hunt for that peaceful and regenerative outdoor dip.

“Luxembourg has lots of amazing spaces to take a swim,” says Giorgio Bruins, who, together with his wife Séverine Daniel, coaches individual and corporate clients on ‘cold therapy,’ popularised by Dutch native-turned celebrity Wim Hof.

Cold exposure such as immersion in icy water acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, explains Bruins, helping your body to release the feel-good hormone serotonin and the wakefulness hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine.  

“Our bodies are masters in keeping our internal body temperature stable. However, with all the comforts of heating and aircon nowadays, this ability is hardly stimulated anymore,” said Bruins. “Activate it again! It will not only help with dealing with the cold, but also with dealing with the extreme heat of this summer.”

So, in no particular order, these are some of the hidden cold-plunge spots in Luxembourg, whether you are a cold-therapy convert or just an average overheated Luxembourger in need of a paddle.

Dirbach Plage

The waters of the River Sure run inky, cold and deep just outside the family-run Dirbach Plage hotel near Bourscheid in Luxembourg. Normally the preserve of trout fishers, it also attracts a growing number of hardy cold plungers who can swim in the still water just above the weir or the fast-flowing eddies below it, even finishing off with a cold drink at the hotel itself. For those who enjoy walking, the swimming spot is also situated right on the famous 52km Escapardenne Lee Trail.

The lake at Weiswampach

Although this lake gets a little warmer  in the summer than the dark waters of the Mullerthal valley, it’s still far enough from the capital to beat the crowds. There are two lake shores, one with a buvette selling sausage and Diekirch staples, and a substantial car park. Several wooden jetties allow you to practice your diving skills.

Lac de Haute-Sure

You could say the growing hike-to-swim trend was made for this area in north-west Luxembourg, where a trail up steep ascents and down wooded valleys can be followed by a cold bath to regenerate those burning legs. The Haute-Sure is home to five lakeside beaches (which, admittedly do get crowded on summer weekends): Insenborn plages 1 and 2, Leifreg, Rommwiss and Burfelt. Unlike Weiswampach, there are no buvettes but there is the picturesque town of Esch-Sur-Sure for a post-swim beer.

Esch-sur-Sure

On the subject of Esch-Sur-Sure, the town has its own cold plunge spot. “The river running through Esch-sur-Sure stays remarkably cold all year around even with the extreme heat we are having lately,” says Bruin. There is a parking close to the swimming spot for easy access.

Schiessentümpel waterfall

Shame on you if you live in Luxembourg but have never been to this stunning little waterfall. Located in the Mullerthal valley, it is the point where the Black Ernz river separates into three cascades under a one-hundred-year-old wood-and-stone bridge. As this is the most photographed area in Luxembourg, Bruins recommends heading upstream for a cold plunge with fewer spectators and fewer photographers. Parking is available at the and also at the nearby , where there is also a restaurant and brand-new playground.

According to Bruins, the summer is the best time to start exploring a cold plunge. “This way, you can progressively bathe your way through water that is gradually getting colder with autumn and winter arriving.”

He has some words of advice about getting into cold water, however. “The cold is a powerful force of nature and extreme cold can be a shock to our body. Always start slowly and gradually build up the exposure. Don’t force it and listen to your body,” he says. Outside of summer, he also says “it’s important to never cold-plunge alone, make sure you always have your cold plunge buddy with you.”

, Luxembourg’s only Wim Hof Method-certified instruction outfit, regularly holds workshops in Luxembourg-Merl and Dudelange, and also organises group cold plunges the during autumn and winter.

This article was amended on 11 August at the request of the Luxembourg Ministry for the Environment and Tourism to remove all reference to the Kallektuffquell waterfall in the Mullerthall valley. The waterfall is a protected spot and swimming is prohibited.