The theme was integrated into the Council of Europe programme in October 1987 and the route is awarded certification as a “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” on 16 June 2004.
From the Belgian Ardennes to the broad basins of the Saarland, from Trier to Metz, along the Moselle River and in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, particular architectural styles developed over the centuries have produced a habitat that reflects a set of shared characteristics, particularly in rural areas.
The traditional rural habitat can be regarded as a region’s identity card, with building methods adjusted to life’s needs, the demands of work, the climate, the landscape and the available building materials.
Four trans-frontier circuits, linking France, Germany, Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, were traced out by the international association Rurality – Environment - Development (RED). The focus is on four main architectural styles, one per circuit, drawing the public’s attention to the importance of preserving, maintaining and breathing life into a shared everyday heritage.

European Institute of Cultural Routes
Information source: The Council of Europe Cultural Routes brochure, 2004
Photo: Museum of rural life in Wallony; © EICR