Second circular

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Introduction

This 2nd circular doesn't repeat the details already dispatched within the 1st circular. This remains valuable. The 2nd circular presents further detailed information about trip, accommodation and other practical details.

Summary of general information

Scientific themes

1. Evolution of sandstone landscapes : geology and geomorphology
2. Archaeology of sandstone landscapes : from Prehistory to the Middle Ages
3. Flora, fauna and microclimate of sandstone ecosystems
4. Human impact on sandstone landscapes: threats and protection

Languages: English and French (simultaneous interpretation)

Venue of the conference: Centre culturel Larei, Vianden.

Currency: The Luxembourg currency is the euro (EUR, €).

Programme overview

• Tuesday May 24 2005 - arrival and registration
• Wednesday May 25 2005 - pre-conference excursion
• Thursday May 26 2005 - late registration, conference
• Friday May 27 2005 - conference
• Saturday May 28 2005 - post-conference excursion
• Sunday May 29 2005 - departure

Organizers

• Administration des eaux et forêts (A.E.F.)
• Musée national d'histoire naturelle (M.N.H.N.)
• Musée national d'histoire et d'art (M.N.H.A.)
• Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois (S.N.L.)

Partner organizations

• A.G.L. - Association des géologues luxembourgeois
• A.G.M.P. - Amis de la géologie, de la minéraolgie et de la paléontologie du Luxembourg
• H.F.N. - Fondation Hëllef fir d'Natur
• GAL Leader+ Mullerthal - Groupe d'action locale Leader+
• NATURA - Ligue luxembourgeoise pour la protection de la nature et de l'environnement
• Oeko-fonds - Fondation Oeko-fonds
• S.G.L. - Service géologique du Luxembourg
• S.P.L. - Société préhistorique luxembourgeoise

Contact

With the support of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the National Research Fund and the Ministry of Environment.

The venue of the symposium

The symposium will take place in Vianden, a small medieval tourist town of ± 1500 inhabitants close to the German border in the north-east of Luxembourg.

The conference sessions will be held in the 'Centre culturel Larei', a building complex with all required equipments and all necessary comfort. The cultural centre Larei is located in the very heart of Vianden, a five minutes walk from most hotels.

The town is surrounded by an astonishing schist coulisse (don't worry, the sandstone is only a 10 minutes drive away :-).

More information about Vianden and its surroundings :

• www.tourist-info-vianden.lu
• www.vianden.lu
• www.islekercard.org

Arrival of participants

We ask all the participants to communicate the details of their trip to the symposium secretariat until April 15th latest (arrival and departure schedule, transportation means, flight number and booked accommodation). Please fill in the attached form and send it by email or fax to the symposium secretariat until April 15th.

Arrivals on Tuesday 24th May

Meeting point of the participants arriving on Tuesday 24th May is the Musée national d'histoire naturelle (National nature history museum) in the centre of Luxembourg-city (address: 25, rue Münster, Luxembourg-Grund). As soon as they arrive, the participants can go to the reception of the museum and leave their luggage there. The transfer to Vianden will take place by bus in the evening (between 17:00 and 19:00 hours) depending on arrival times of most participants. The precise transfer schedule will be communicated to all participants by email on May 18th and will also be published on the symposium website. A special transfer can be organized for late arrivals.

At the reception of the museum the participants will receive a city map and a pass providing free access to the National nature history museum and the Musée national d'histoire et d'art (National museum of history and arts).

Arrivals on Wednesday 25th May

Participants arriving on May 25th are kindly requested to join Vianden by public transportation.

A transfer may be organized if justified by the number of participants and their arrival schedules. The concerned participants will be notified by email. The information will also be published on the symposium website.

Transport by air :

• Luxembourg Findel Airport (L) : in front of the airport terminal take bus nº16 at platform 3 or 1 to the Luxembourg railway station (every 10 to 15 minutes, trip of about ½ hour). In front of the station at platform 9 take the bus " Luxembourg-Grund " (every half hour at 15 and 45 minutes past, trip of 6 minutes). At arrival cross bridge, turn left and join the museum 200m ahead.
• Liège Airport (B) : join central railway station and take a train in direction of Luxembourg. Climb off at Ettelbruck and take the bus nº 870 to Vianden. For more details look up Internet.
• Charleroi Airport (B) : join central railway station of Charleroi and take a train to Luxembourg and join the museum (cf. Luxembourg Findel Airport).
• Metz Airport (F) : join central railway station of Metz and take a train to Luxembourg and join the museum (cf. Luxembourg Findel Airport).

Train :

• Coming from the north via Liège : climb off in Ettelbruck and take the bus nº 870 to Vianden
• All other proveniences: Luxembourg railway station, In front of the station at platform 9 take the bus " Luxembourg-Grund " (every half hour at 15 and 45 minutes past, trip of 6 minutes). Participants wishing to join Vianden directly take the train until Ettelbruck (2-3 trains per hour), then bus nº 870 to Vianden.

Car :

• In principle join Vianden directly. Please look up Internet for detailed trip information (e.g. www.mappy.com).

Accommodation

Speakers will be hosted by the symposium organization (one speaker per oral communication). Their hotel rooms will be booked by our means. This information will be communicated to the speakers by email.

All other participants have to book their own accommodation. All types of accommodation in Vianden and surroundings can be found on Internet at http://www.tourist-info-vianden.lu/logements/ (Hotels, apartments and chalets, camping and youth hostel).

If you wish more detailed information about an accommodation please contact the owner directly or the local tourist information office (Syndicat d'initiative et de tourisme de Vianden, please mention the symposium):

Excursions

Excursions will cover the 4 major topics of the symposium. A detailed programme will be published later.

• Wednesday 25th May: Mullerthal - Petite Suisse luxembourgeoise
• Saturday 28th May: Teufelsschlucht (Ferschweiler Plateau, Germany) | Luxembourg-city

Departure of participants

Departure is scheduled for Sunday 29th May. Participants due to join Luxembourg station or airport will be transferred directly by bus. Bus departure schedules will be planed according to departure times of most participants. A special transfer will cover early morning departures.

Details will be communicated in the documents each participant receives at arrival and will also be published on the symposium website.

Detailed programme of the symposium

A detailed programme including time schedule of lectures will be available on the conference website on May 16th at the latest. It will also be part of the documentation people receive at arrival.

Other practical information:

Registration fee

The registration fee must arrive on our accounts latest on April 15th. All registration with no fee transferred by this date will be cancelled.

To avoid any misunderstandings in Vianden we ask all the participants to bring to the symposium a copy of the payment mentioning the transfer date.

Cancellation

Cancellations have to be sent in writing to the conference secretariat address. If your cancellation is received before March 25th 2005 your payment will be refunded (minus bank costs of the transfer). No refunds can be made for cancellations after this date

Participation certificate

Each participant will receive at the symposium personalized participation certificate mentioning the participation fee paid.

Free access to Internet and email

A free Internet access point is at disposal at the local tourist office (Syndicat d'initiative et de tourisme de Vianden), right in the city centre, close to most accommodation and centre culturel Larei (max. 5 minutes walk).

In principle, one computer connected to Internet is accessible every day from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00 in the entrance of the tourist office. For symposium participants, a computer room with 7 computers connected to Internet will be accessible on both conference days from 13:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 19:00 (first floor of tourist office).

The hotels Victor-Hugo, Petry and Belvedere are equipped with " wireless lan " so that they offer permanent Internet access to computers accordingly equipped.

Electricity: 230 V

Climate: The day air temperature in Vianden will be about 20ºC. In principle, weather is pleasant at this season.