In 1945-46, the French government initiated a process of nationalization of the coal mines. The aim was to push economy back on its feet and to consolidate it because the country had been largely weakened by six years of world war. Eventually, this establishment of state control on the coal resources resulted in the creation of the “Charbonnages de France” (CdF) and in the geographic redefining of nine great coal beds. This is how the coal mines of the Cevennes (H.B.C.) were created.

As soon as 1946, the Cevennes minors freely got involved in the national production effort which was to get France started again. More than 22 000 people then worked in the H.B.C. and, in the same year, directly or indirectly contributed to the mining of some 2.4 million tons of coal.

Still, the fast modernization of techniques and technologies as well as the important workforce in the mine, soon made it necessary that structures dedicated to the training of future minors were created. This was the reason that motivated the creation of Alès Show Mine.

From 1945 – when it was opened – to 1968 – when it closed – several generation of minors followed one another in these galleries to learn their job with experimented instructors. Hundreds of young persons aged 14 to 18, took part in the creation of the Show Mine.
They built from what had been made by the previous years, working or extending the galleries endlessly, young trainees learned the techniques of blasting, the subtleties of timber sets and of mechanic or hydraulic props. As an exceptional and authentic account of the work produced by young trainees for almost two decades, Alès Show Mine has now become a unique place of industrial and social remembrance in France.
In fact, if France has a number of other sites created for the same purpose as the Show Mine of Alès, the underground structures presented to the visitors on these sites are only reconstructions.

Nowadays, Alès Show Mine is an authentic and very nice place of remembrance. This Show mine, is not only a tool to enable the visitors to understand the ins and the outs of the techniques and the conditions in the coal mine, the complexity and the dangers bound to coal mining. It is also, and above all, a way to pay a tribute to all those who risked their lives in the underground in taking part in two centuries of coal mining in the Cevennes.

• From February 6th to February 28th (on afternoons only): 2 pm to 5.30pm (the last guided tour starts at 4.pm)
• From March 1st to June 30th and from September 1st to November 11th: 9.30 am to 12.30 am and 2 pm to 6 pm (the last guided tours are at 11 am and 4.30 pm)
• July and August: nonstop service from 10 am to 7 pm (last guided tour at 5.30 pm)

• Adults: 7€
• Children from 6 to 12: 4.50€
• Free under 6
• Concession: 5.50€

Chemin de la Cité Sainte-Marie
Rochebelle
30100 Alès
phone: 04 66 30 45 15 – fax: 04 66 61 58 26
www.mine-temoin.fr