Credits: @Mines d'argent simon_vanhelst
Credits: @Mines d'argent
Credits: @Mines d'argent_jan_novak
Caption: Les souterrains de la mine
Credits: @Mines d'argent
Caption:
Location type
Environment
Mountain,
Riverside
General presentation
The Silver Mine is an old mining site in a small town in the French Alps called "l'Argentière-la-Bessée". The mine ils located in the Hautes-Alpes (05) department, at 30 minutes from Gap and 15 minutes from Briancon. The Mine is 3km from the village center, in a natural environment on the edge of the Fournel torrent, in a deep valley bottom which forms a gorge 1km in length. At the gates of the Ecrins National Park, the site is classified as a Historic Monument The mine site was the subject of excavations and archaeological exploration before being made safe to welcome the public from the 1990s. The site is made up of several old buildings, and underground galleries from different eras.
Location Condition Type
Well maintained,
In restoration - Work in progress
Location History
The deposit of argentiferous lead the Fournel valley has been the subject of a successful operation in the Middle Ages (X-XIII centuries). Using the technique of digging through the fire, work was pushed up to 100 meters of the day. Money extracted fueled mints of the archdiocese Embrun, Cezana and Grenoble.Puis during the Industrial Revolution between 1785 and 1908, several mining companies have followed to complete extract the ore up 300 meters below the slopes of the mountain. A factory was built in the bottom of the gorge Fournel and mining occupied up to 500 personnes.Depuis 1992, the site is the subject of archaeological excavations and volunteer projects to rehabilitate the industrial heritage, which s' now offers to the public.
Construction period
1901-1910,
Xth Century,
XIth Century,
XIIth Century,
XIIIth Century,
XIVth Century,
XIXth Century,
XVIIIth Century
Dominant style
Gothic - Middle Ages
Specific styles
Covered - Indoor,
Troglodytic
Remarkable architectural elements
Corridor,
Gallery (architecture)
Materials
Exposed Beams,
Building front : Wood - Shingle,
Building front : Metal - Steel - Iron - Aluminum - Zinc - Sheet metal