Musée de la Vigne et de la Mine Saint-Rome-de-Tarn

Useful Information

Location:	Mairie Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, 3 Rue du Château, Les Baumes, Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, 12490. (44.04822742752151, 2.8982993595142528)
Open:	JUL to AUG Thu 9:30-12. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Mining Museum Replica Underground Mine Copper Mine Lead Mine Iron Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Musée de la Vigne et de la Mine Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, 3 Rue du Château, Les Baumes, Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, 12490, Tel: +33-612-35-11-64. E-mail:
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

1999	museum opened to the public.
2017	museum modernized.

Geology

Description

Musée de la Vigne et de la Mine Saint-Rome-de-Tarn (Vine and Mine Museum) is located in the town hall, at the D31. This building former château and the museum is located in the vaulted cellars, so it is not only about mining its also underground. As the name says, there are two parts, a large room showing winegrowing and clogmaker's equipment, and an adjoining room featuring a reconstructed old mine. This museum was created by local youth led by Grégory Gendey with the help of villagers, businesses and the Town Hall.

The copper mines were located near the hamlet of Mazéga, which is located about 2 km from the village, following D31 along the Tarn river. They were exploited between 1900 and 1970 approximately. The mines are not accessible any more, but they were the source of some nice copper minerals. The polymetallic ores contained mostly copper, lead, and iron, main ores were azurite, malachite, and pyrite. It seems the barite which was abundant in the vein was also mined. The museum has a carefully reconstructed a mine gallery with a trolley on the rails and explanations of the geology at the walls.