Luxembourg is the largest of Europe’s mini-states. We have included the principality on maps of surrounding countries, as most publishers do, but we felt it was time to concentrate on the principality itself and place it into context with its neighbours. Bounded on the west by Belgium, on its east by Germany, and its south by France, Luxembourg has survived for centuries by playing off one large power against another in order to retain its independence. Largely a French-speaking area, Luxembourg is also a strong supporter of the EU. It is a mountainous country, part of the Ardennes region, and close to Bastogne, the focal point of Hitler's last attempt to break the Allies in what is now called the Battle of the Bulge. Bastogne, site of a marvelous WW2 museum, is also on Side 1, as is a portion of Belgium going as far as Mons.
Side 2 concentrates on Belgium east of Brussels, with a small portion of Netherlands included. This includes the Brussels region, Antwerp, Leuven, Liege, and Aachen, with a tiny portion of Germany. Belgium is a larger and more diverse country than many realize. One of the great treasure of eastern Belgium is the cathedral town of Liege, which is known in Flemish as Luik and in German as Luttich, which can make finding it a bit challenging, depending upon whose map one is using, or which road signs one is following!