MAY to SEP daily 9:15-18.
OCT to 15-NOV Mon, Wed-Sun 10-12, 14-17.
[2007]
Groups (20+): Adults EUR 5.30, Children (6-12) EUR 4.
[2008]
Rock Mine
| Location: | 2 Route du pont Jany, Volvic, Département Puy-de-Dôme. |
| Open: |
15-MAR to APR Mon, Wed-Sun 10-12, 14-17. MAY to SEP daily 9:15-18. OCT to 15-NOV Mon, Wed-Sun 10-12, 14-17. [2007] |
| Fee: |
Adults EUR 6, Children (6-12) EUR 4.50. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 5.30, Children (6-12) EUR 4. [2008] |
| Classification: |
Rock Mine
|
| Light: | electric |
| Dimension: | A=503m asl, T=12-15°C. |
| Guided tours: | |
| Bibliography: | |
| Address: |
Association pour la Promotion de la Pierre de Volvic, BP 2, 63530 Volvic, Tel: +33-473-335692, Fax: +33-473-622381.
E-mail: |
| Last update: | $Date: 2008/07/01 20:22:23 $ |
| 13th cty | start of mining. | |
| 19th cty | heyday of the mining. | |
| 1752 | the naturalist Monsieur Guettard discovered the volcanic origin of the Chaîne des Puys. | |
| 1899 | because of a water shortage Jean Legay-Chevalier drills a 45m deep well and discovers groundwater. | |
| 1922 | old well reactivated. | |
| 1929 | village supplied with water from the well. | |
| 1971 | first plans to creat the museum. | |
| 1975 | opened to the public. |
In this 700 year old underground quarry the pierre de Volvic (rock of Volvic) or lave de Volvic (lava from Volvic) was mined. This is an ancient lava flow of the volcano Nugère, which cooled down and formed a thick layer of basaltic rock. But this is not a common basalt but trachyandesite. It was mostly used for sculptures and reliefs.
The museum is dedicated to men who cut the rock. It was created by the Association pour la Promotion de la Pierre de Volvic (Association for the Promotion of Pierre de Volvic). The guided tour is an informative introduction in local geology or volcanology, the forming of the rock, the ancient mining methods, and the various uses of the rock. It includes a huge underground part, the underground quarry.
The 19th century mining is explained by the story of Jean Legay-Chevalier. He was the owner of the quarry Pierre de Volvic around 1900 and an important man. He was also wine grower, professor at the Ecole d'Architecture (School of Architecture) and known for his social commitment. He invested in various projects to improve the living and working conditions. He invented a dismountable wooden crane for his quarry, which was called cheval de bois (wooden horse) and initiated teh construction of the railway Batignoles from Riom to Volvic. But his probably most spectacular and influential discovery was the discovery of an underground brook in the volcanic rock. In 1899 was a water shortage at Volvic, but water was needed for the quarry works, to cool the steel wire ropes of the saws. The geologist Monsieur Gautier worked on this area and he supposed there was an underground layer of water. So Jean Legay-Chevalier started to drill a well, but it was dry to a depth of 45m. When they had reached the ground water, the entrepreneur ran out of money, he had already spent 6,000 francs or (gold francs), an enormous sum for this time.
The small village Volvic is today well known all over the world for its mineral water. The water is a result of the geologic history of the area, which is mostly of volcanic origin. The water flows through volcanic rocks which is said to give the special and healthy mineral content to the water.
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