Les Carrières du Bon Temps

Les carrières de Junas

Useful Information

Location:	3 Chem. du Bon Temps, 30250 Junas. (43.773840, 4.119858)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Limestone Quarries and Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Les Carrières du Bon Temps, 3 Chem. du Bon Temps, 30250 Junas.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Geology

Description

Les Carrières du Bon Temps (Bon Temps Quarries) are located at the village Junas, so they are also called carrières de Junas. The limestone quarries were used more or less continually for 2,000 years since Roman times to extract limestone for buildings and for sculptures. The result is really weird geometrical rocks, the faces of the multiple cut-off blocks of limestone. Obviously, the size of the quarried rocks varied, and also there were impurities in the rock which were avoided. If there was a crack in the rock, a pilar remained. The result is a weird amphitheatre, which is today used for cultural events. The quarry was abandoned in the mid-20th century.