Wednesday, 19 August 2009
What content do YOU want to see on this blog?
Write an email to willy.vauban@gmail.com and let me know the sort of questions you have about life in Luxembourg. I'll try to answer as best I can.
Luxembourg Bus Drivers - Are they really THAT bad?
Yes. Unfortunately. I've tried to keep an open mind ever since I came here, bearing in mind the stress they're under blah blah blah, but unfortunately, a lot of them really are a bunch of frustrated, impolite tossers. Mind you, I have met a few really nice ones, but unfortunately they are the exception to the rule. I don't know what one is supposed to do to please these guys. Although the myth about them earning 5000 eur net a month is not true, they really are among the best paid bus drivers in the world. Still they behave like everybody who dares to get on their bus is a criminal. Rule number 1: Don't speak French to them as they hate anyone French or Belgian. Rule number 2: Don't speak German to them because they hate the Germans (don't mention the war). Rule number 3: Just shut up and get on the bus. If you attempt to say "Moien" with your best Luxembourgish accent, they'll just grunt at you, before speeding off before you've sat down to make sure your head gets pancaked against the rear window before you've put your wallet back in your pocket. Expect to smell the shampoo of the lady in front of you as the driver exceeds the speed limit for most of the journey only to carry out emergency braking at every single bus stop. Don't bother waving for him to wait as you're running after the bus, the fact that he's five minutes ahead of the schedule is apparently your fault. And if your an old age pensioner, expect the doors to be closed in your face as you're trying to get off the bus. Yes, unfortunately: Not everything is perfect in Luxembourg and these guys deserve all the stick they get.
Ode to the civil cervants at Ville de Luxembourg
In many countries "efficient civil service" would be an oxymoron. Not so in Luxembourg. Those who have lived in France or Spain will appreciate how efficiently things are run here. None of this running to five different places in five different parts of the city to be told five different things by five different pencil pushers and being none the wiser at the end of it. I've spent so much of my life slagging off civil servants and central administrations that I now feel compelled to give some positive feedback.
The Ville de Luxembourg administration (or City Hall or whatever you want to call it) is a wonderfully well-run place. You can do most of the essential personal admin at the so-called Bierger-Center (or Centre d'acceuil des citoyens if you prefer), which is the awful, brown building by the central post office at Place Hamilius (the central bus station). You have to take a ticket, but waiting times are generally reasonable and a sign clearly explains which of the two types of ticket you need for your particular activity or request. It's aim is to provide a one-stop-shop for all the initial admin. When you first arrive in Luxembourg, a trip to the Bierger-Center is pretty much compulsory. If you're lucky enough to have been provided with a relocation service (e.g. Integreat.lu), chances are you will be accompanied there by a local. If you have to go on your own, don't worry, it's a painless experience. This is where you go to report a change of address, apply for a local ID or carte de sejour, family certificate (you need it for child benefits etc etc), tax cards, parking permits, certified photocopies, cheques services (to be used for child care subsidies), you name it. And the people working there are generally a nice bunch.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Where to live in Luxembourg?
This is a topic I expect to expand a lot on, so consider this an early introduction only. First rule: As a foreigner, you don't want to live anywhere outside a 10 km radius of the city centre. I'm not a snob, but trust me, I don't expect that you will enjoy your experience if you do. Don't get me wrong, the Luxembourgers are lovely people, but you'll find it hard to integrate unless you live close to the buzzing, international city of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg City is divided into several "quartiers" or areas, the main ones being (I'm actually going to try to cough up all of them, just don't expect me to do it in alphabetical order): Belair, Cessange, Dommeldange, Beggen, Muelenbach, Bonnevoie, Gasperich, Belair, Gare, Centre, Neudorf, Kirchberg, Weimerskirch, Limpertsberg, Weimershof, Cents, Merl, Rollingergrund, Eich, Clausen, Grund, Kohlenberg, Hollerich, Hamm, Puelvermuhle, Pfaffenthal, Verlorenkost and I think that's it. The biggest areas are Bonnevoie and Limpertsberg.
The "best" areas are supposedly Limpertsberg and Belair, probably in that order. But bear in mind the following: Limpertsberg being the second largest (to my knowledge) has both great and not so great areas within it. Parts of it feel really remote, have very little amenities and are a significant walk from the centre. So when looking for a house or an apartment in Limpertsberg, pay close attention to the area. Being on a hill, it's relatively quiet in terms of traffic, apart from the places around the main arteries. Architecturally speaking, it's a funny mix of nice townhouses and awful apartments from the sixties. (However much I love Luxembourg, I have to make it quite clear right now that I consider Luxembourgers to have their taste in their arse when it comes to architecture and interior design. That's the danger of growing too rich too quick.) Belair is similar, but better located. Houses are extremely expensive in this area. Keep in mind that when Luxembourgers and Luxembourg residents speak of good and bad areas, it's all relative. Frankly, there are no dodgy areas in Luxembourg. Ok, you have a few tramps and druggies around the station (Gare), Hollerich and a limited area of Bonnevoie, but in most other countries the ones you do see would be no worse than your regular dinner guests. Nothing to worry about. Bonnevoie is the largest area, and probably the most exciting. No, I don't live there myself, but I recommend it to you. It has a hugely interesting mix of people and lots of shops and restaurants. For Luxembourg, it's still reasonably priced, but trust me, that will change. The area is being done up so the area is improving quickly. Clausen and Grund are probably the most picturesque areas of town - and benefit from being bang smack in the middle of everything - but the noise in the evening will be unbearable to all but the most hardened madrileños. Never mind trying to find a parking place after work. Gasperich is nice, varied, a bit away from it all, but with a nice village feel. Lots of former social housing turned young professional and families on a budget. Kohlenberg is basically the posh area of Gasperich, and boils down to what is pretty much just one street on a hill. Not really a rental market, but caters to house buyers who have significant budgets and wish to live in large, detached houses within the city limits. Verlorenkost is to Bonnevoie what Kohlenberg is to Gasperich - the posh bit. Luxembourg Cents is a great area for families with great sports facilities and a green, quiet environment. Its proximity to the airport makes it both convenient and perhaps a tiny bit noisy in some parts. However, one to be recommended. Adjacent Neudorf is less upmarket, but up and coming due to its great location right next to Kirchberg - home to the European Institutions and a lot of the banks. Its significantly Portuguese community is being slowly replaced by a very international crowd who are doing up the old houses, and a lot of homes have recently been torn down to make room for smaller apartment blocks. It's in a valley, so avoid the right hand side when coming from the city centre, as it gets very little sunlight, especially in winter. The farther away from the city you come, the more it clears up. Forget what I said earlier on about Limpertsberg and Belair being the best areas. The king of the hill is Weimershof, a small residential area just next to Kirchberg. This place is great, but very expensive and has virtually no shops and few restaurants. Kirchberg itself is one of the most busy business areas during the day, but feels slightly sterile from a residential point of view. Cessange is quite far away from the city centre and although it feels nice and landly, it suffers a bit from aircraft noise as it's under the flying path. Which brings me nicely on to Hamm. Hamm would be a lovely place to leave if it weren't for the fact that the wheels of landing planes almost touch the rooftops. This makes it into what is probably the cheapest place to live in town. On the upside, it's right next to the large Itziger forest with mountainbike and running paths aplenty. A very pretty area. Beggen is probably to be avoided due to heavy traffic and constant roadwork. However, it does have a lot of shops and amenities, including some great Asian restaurants. Dommeldange, which is next to Beggen has a cosy village feel, but is a bit of a hike from the centre. And if you're driving through and the barriers come down at the level crossing, you might as well turn around as you could be stuck for a good 10 minutes waiting for the train to pass. I'll write more about these and the other areas later.
Luxembourg City is divided into several "quartiers" or areas, the main ones being (I'm actually going to try to cough up all of them, just don't expect me to do it in alphabetical order): Belair, Cessange, Dommeldange, Beggen, Muelenbach, Bonnevoie, Gasperich, Belair, Gare, Centre, Neudorf, Kirchberg, Weimerskirch, Limpertsberg, Weimershof, Cents, Merl, Rollingergrund, Eich, Clausen, Grund, Kohlenberg, Hollerich, Hamm, Puelvermuhle, Pfaffenthal, Verlorenkost and I think that's it. The biggest areas are Bonnevoie and Limpertsberg.
The "best" areas are supposedly Limpertsberg and Belair, probably in that order. But bear in mind the following: Limpertsberg being the second largest (to my knowledge) has both great and not so great areas within it. Parts of it feel really remote, have very little amenities and are a significant walk from the centre. So when looking for a house or an apartment in Limpertsberg, pay close attention to the area. Being on a hill, it's relatively quiet in terms of traffic, apart from the places around the main arteries. Architecturally speaking, it's a funny mix of nice townhouses and awful apartments from the sixties. (However much I love Luxembourg, I have to make it quite clear right now that I consider Luxembourgers to have their taste in their arse when it comes to architecture and interior design. That's the danger of growing too rich too quick.) Belair is similar, but better located. Houses are extremely expensive in this area. Keep in mind that when Luxembourgers and Luxembourg residents speak of good and bad areas, it's all relative. Frankly, there are no dodgy areas in Luxembourg. Ok, you have a few tramps and druggies around the station (Gare), Hollerich and a limited area of Bonnevoie, but in most other countries the ones you do see would be no worse than your regular dinner guests. Nothing to worry about. Bonnevoie is the largest area, and probably the most exciting. No, I don't live there myself, but I recommend it to you. It has a hugely interesting mix of people and lots of shops and restaurants. For Luxembourg, it's still reasonably priced, but trust me, that will change. The area is being done up so the area is improving quickly. Clausen and Grund are probably the most picturesque areas of town - and benefit from being bang smack in the middle of everything - but the noise in the evening will be unbearable to all but the most hardened madrileños. Never mind trying to find a parking place after work. Gasperich is nice, varied, a bit away from it all, but with a nice village feel. Lots of former social housing turned young professional and families on a budget. Kohlenberg is basically the posh area of Gasperich, and boils down to what is pretty much just one street on a hill. Not really a rental market, but caters to house buyers who have significant budgets and wish to live in large, detached houses within the city limits. Verlorenkost is to Bonnevoie what Kohlenberg is to Gasperich - the posh bit. Luxembourg Cents is a great area for families with great sports facilities and a green, quiet environment. Its proximity to the airport makes it both convenient and perhaps a tiny bit noisy in some parts. However, one to be recommended. Adjacent Neudorf is less upmarket, but up and coming due to its great location right next to Kirchberg - home to the European Institutions and a lot of the banks. Its significantly Portuguese community is being slowly replaced by a very international crowd who are doing up the old houses, and a lot of homes have recently been torn down to make room for smaller apartment blocks. It's in a valley, so avoid the right hand side when coming from the city centre, as it gets very little sunlight, especially in winter. The farther away from the city you come, the more it clears up. Forget what I said earlier on about Limpertsberg and Belair being the best areas. The king of the hill is Weimershof, a small residential area just next to Kirchberg. This place is great, but very expensive and has virtually no shops and few restaurants. Kirchberg itself is one of the most busy business areas during the day, but feels slightly sterile from a residential point of view. Cessange is quite far away from the city centre and although it feels nice and landly, it suffers a bit from aircraft noise as it's under the flying path. Which brings me nicely on to Hamm. Hamm would be a lovely place to leave if it weren't for the fact that the wheels of landing planes almost touch the rooftops. This makes it into what is probably the cheapest place to live in town. On the upside, it's right next to the large Itziger forest with mountainbike and running paths aplenty. A very pretty area. Beggen is probably to be avoided due to heavy traffic and constant roadwork. However, it does have a lot of shops and amenities, including some great Asian restaurants. Dommeldange, which is next to Beggen has a cosy village feel, but is a bit of a hike from the centre. And if you're driving through and the barriers come down at the level crossing, you might as well turn around as you could be stuck for a good 10 minutes waiting for the train to pass. I'll write more about these and the other areas later.
Who should come to Luxembourg?
Let's kill the myth: Luxembourg is not as boring as its reputation. A lot of people slag off the place because they're slightly jealous of friends who've been able to find good jobs here. Ok, being a city of some 80 000 inhabitants it's never gone be London or Paris, is it? But for a city of its size, it's got a hell of a lot to offer. And I believe I'm in a position to say, as I've lived in both Paris and London, and quite a few other cities to boot. To tell you the truth, wild horses couldn't drag me away from this place.
So:
If you're young, should you come to Luxembourg? Well, it depends. If you're from a country that offers virtually no opportunities for the young (France, France, Spain, France), then yes, for sure. Instead of spending every year of your life until you're 35 doing internships or temporary contracts (that's CDDs for you French natives), you could get a serious first experience and some real responsiblity working here -and a decent paycheck to go with it. The downside: Well, yes, like I said, it's not London, it's not Paris and it ain't Madrid or Barcelona. You'll have fun here, but just don't expect to be dancing until 5 o'clock in the morning. But then again: When you live in Paris you're so overwhelmed with options that you just end up going to your local joint anyway. I find that I've been having a much more varied life since I moved to Luxembourg. And if you're a sporty person, it's hard to find a better place than this. Apart from Switzerland, which is prettier and enjoys an even better location. But you'd have to put up with the Swiss and an ever growing number of dodgy mafiosos and pimps. But Lux: Even when you live in the middle of the city, the nearest forest is unlikely to be much more than a 15 minute WALK away. Beat that.
So:
If you're young, should you come to Luxembourg? Well, it depends. If you're from a country that offers virtually no opportunities for the young (France, France, Spain, France), then yes, for sure. Instead of spending every year of your life until you're 35 doing internships or temporary contracts (that's CDDs for you French natives), you could get a serious first experience and some real responsiblity working here -and a decent paycheck to go with it. The downside: Well, yes, like I said, it's not London, it's not Paris and it ain't Madrid or Barcelona. You'll have fun here, but just don't expect to be dancing until 5 o'clock in the morning. But then again: When you live in Paris you're so overwhelmed with options that you just end up going to your local joint anyway. I find that I've been having a much more varied life since I moved to Luxembourg. And if you're a sporty person, it's hard to find a better place than this. Apart from Switzerland, which is prettier and enjoys an even better location. But you'd have to put up with the Swiss and an ever growing number of dodgy mafiosos and pimps. But Lux: Even when you live in the middle of the city, the nearest forest is unlikely to be much more than a 15 minute WALK away. Beat that.
However: The jobs going around here are hardly very exciting. Front office jobs are very limited and the few dealing rooms you find are a far cry from what you find in the City of London. Basically it's sales which is not bad, but lacks the glamour. A lot of jobs are in the fund administration area, in corporate admin (company secretaries etc) and terribly terribly boring stuff like Big 4 accounting, tax, compliance and that sort of stuff you'll end up regretting having spent a minute of your life doing. But there are quite a few interesting jobs in private banking for the well-qualified and dynamic lot of you, just bear in mind that it's a declining area. Apart from that, Lux does have its share of interesting corporates: E.g. SES Astra, Arcelor Mittal, Cargolux, Amazon, Goodyear, Ikano, ...
If you're a family man or woman? Yes, definitely. Unbeatable work/life balance bar what you might find in Scandinavia. But in Scandinavia it rains all the time, the culture is, well, what it is and it's kinda remote. And foreigners are so exotic that they might as well cage you up and charge an entry fee. So Lux gives you the best of both worlds.
If you're knocking on heaven's door? Yes, definitely again. No inheritance tax. More or less.
If you're a family man or woman? Yes, definitely. Unbeatable work/life balance bar what you might find in Scandinavia. But in Scandinavia it rains all the time, the culture is, well, what it is and it's kinda remote. And foreigners are so exotic that they might as well cage you up and charge an entry fee. So Lux gives you the best of both worlds.
If you're knocking on heaven's door? Yes, definitely again. No inheritance tax. More or less.
Is Luxembourg a tax haven? No, at least not for those of us who have to work for a living. You pay less income tax than you would in say, Belgium or Denmark, but then again life is quite expensive, especially due to the property prices. So if you're one of the many people who come to Luxembourg thinking that your net salary will equal your gross salary, you're in for a big disappointment. However, there are quite a few advantages, which I expect to get back to in a different posting.
Willy Vauban in Luxembourg
Hiya. If you're one of those people who have just arrived in Luxembourg or if you're considering coming over here (probably for a job opportunity), you might find this blog interesting. My aim is to let you know a bit about the place: what's good (most things), what's not so good (not a lot) and generally what it's like to live here, including everyday joys and frustrations. And not least, I hope to give you the low-down on a lot of practical information and perhaps even some history - as soon as I discover it myself...
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