Hello to everyone,
I’m based in the South of France, Languedoc Roussillon, specifically the Herault region.
May sound a bit odd but I have put my mine exploration on hold as I have run in to technical challenges that require skills that I currently don’t have at my disposal. I’m still prospecting and poking my head in to adits but don’t feel confident enough in my abilities to tackle the safety challenges that deeper explorations require. I’m joining a local caving club with the aim of acquiring those skills. In the meantime I’m very happy to have found this community and look forward to learning from you all and sharing some of my local discoveries. This region of France was mined for a variety of minerals; barite, bauxite, shale coal and uranium. Copper was mined adjacent to my village as far back as 3000BC according to the archaelogist’s. I live in area blessed with a rich mining history that I love exploring. I look forward to sharing it with you all!

Welcome, my parents travel down to the south of France every year for a long holiday! They stay in Agde or Frontignan de plage usuallya around that area, which i believe isn't too far out of your area?

If so i may just take the opportunity next year and travel down with them to check out some French adits!!!

---

Agde or Frontignan are roughly 45mins away. Happy to share. The caving club (Speleo Club de la Montagne Noire) will no doubt be a great source of information.

Brilliant that's next year's holiday sorted then, the mrs is going to kill me when she finds out i plan on going underground on a sunny holiday in the south of france haha!!!

---

Hi,
We are currently in the south of France, at Anduze.
Before that in the eastern Pyrenees. I have been looking at some of the old coal mining remains around Ales and have also seen mining remains on the map near Anduze. These are labelled "old vielle montagne mines", so may be interesting.
We went to the Black Mountain area a few years ago. There are some of my photos of the winder at Salsigne on this site.
I have been exploring mines in France for 41 years now.
I am always interested in meeting other explorers, though we only have a week left in France for this year, sadly.

Les

Hi Les - have you found the Museum and preserved mine site in Anduze? There are maps and photos there. If you go northwards on the main road past a castle (damaged by subsidence) you can see many landscaped opencasts, which are even more noticeable on Google Earth.

Hi Les,
I've heard there was extensive coal mining in Bergueda in Catalonia, not far over the border, that would be well worth a visit. A three hour drive would get you there from here. The mines there had all shut by 1991.
I have been exploring very locally, within an hours radius by car and have found numerous workings in various stages of dissolution. There are countless tailing's scattered over the hills that surround our village. I've explored a fraction of them. They're often near impossible to reach without shredding your clothes and skin on the prickly plants of the 'garrigue' or scrubland. I've yet to access the local archives to help locate and identify mines. I feel a bit awkward as a foreigner with no clear reason asking the local authorities for help locating interesting sites to explore. I don't think they would approve. One good thing about the local and regional authorities is that they consider their mining history as something worth studying and in part preserving and protecting, for historical and ecological reasons.
If you are ever in this region again and have the time it would be a privilege to meet up with you! Enjoy the rest of your holiday. Best, Andrew.

Dave,
Yes, we have been to the Puits Ricard museum site. Sadly the underground museum, Mine Temoin, is closed all this year, don't know why, looks a bit like it went bust to me.

Andrew,
In my experience, the French local authorities may like the history on the surface but they are terrified of old mines when it comes to actually entering them. Caving seems fine but mine exploration is something else, best done quietly......
Many of the best Pyrenees mines have been blown in to stop access.

Les

In my experience, the French local authorities may like the history on the surface but they are terrified of old mines when it comes to actually entering them. Caving seems fine but mine exploration is something else, best done quietly......
Many of the best Pyrenees mines have been blown in to stop access. Les

Yes, I'd heard that; my folks have a place in the Southern Alps (near Briançon) and there is a lot of mining history in that area but to date haven't found much easily accessible.

https://www.mindat.org/photo-127128.html  has been on the to visit list for a good while.

---

That looks more English than French.
I am already planning next year........

That looks more English than French.
I am already planning next year........

There are a couple of books on the general area.

Les Paysans-Mineurs du Brianconnais ISBN 2-915493-15-4
Les Anciennes Mines du Brianconnais ISBN 978-2-36142-059-8

---