Musée de la Mine Brassac les Mines


Useful Information

Location: Bayard, northeast of Brassac les Mines.
(45.426798, 3.301614)
Open: Mid-JUN to SEP Tue-Sun 14-18, tours 14:30, 16:30.
[2022]
Fee: Adults EUR 6, Children EUR 3.
Groups: Adults EUR 5, Children EUR 2.
[2022]
Classification: MineCoal Mine SubterraneaMining Museum
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours: D=90 min, L=160 m. Français - French
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Musée de la Mine Brassac les Mines, Route de la Combelle, D 710, Puits Bayard, 63570 Brassac les Mines, Tel: +33-473-54-30-88. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

14th century start of coal mining.
1924 Bayard shaft sunk 305 m deep.
1929 shaft deepened to 530 m.
28-JUL-1978 mine closed, the last to close in the mining basin.
1990 mining museum opened.

Geology

The anthracite coal mine is located at the mining basin called grand sillon houiller du Massif Central (great Massif Central coalfield). These are several synclines of sedimentary rocks with beds of coal interbedded. The synclines form bowl-like structures.

Description

The Musée de la Mine (Mining Museum) of Brassac-les-Mines is located at Bayard, a northwestern suburb. This building once contained the power plant and the hoist of the colliery. The museum shows the history of the coal mining since the 14th century, the techniques used, the daily live of the miners. There are audiovisual displays, a 160 m long reconstructed tunnel of the coal mine, and of course the building and its machinery. The headframe is 34 m high, its wheels have a diameter of 5 m. The elevator was equipped with 2-storey cages, big enough to hold three 550 l trolleys or one large 2000 l trolley.