Fosse n° 6 des mines de Lens, charbonnage à Haisnes (Pas-de-Calais)

Fosse n° 6 des mines de Lens is a former coal mine in Haisnes featuring a distinctive concrete headframe structure called a chevalement. The pit was reconstructed in the early 20th century after the original buildings were destroyed during World War I.

The site began in 1859 with a well drilled by the Douvrin company and started coal extraction in 1861. After World War I, the facility was rebuilt in 1920 and operated until 1936, later serving as a ventilation shaft for neighboring mines.

This pit bears the name Saint-Alfred or Alfred Descamps, honoring the mining families of the region. The workers' housing near the site reflects how mining communities lived, with simple buildings designed for miners and their families.

You can walk around the site and view the structure and remaining buildings of the former pit. Guided tours are sometimes offered that provide more detailed insights into the coal extraction history of the location.

The concrete headframe is the last of its kind made of concrete among all Lens mine pits and shows a rare construction technique of that era. The roof shaped like a small bell tower originally protected a water tank and is a distinctive architectural feature of the site.

• Location: Haisnes
• Address: 2, impasse de la Fosse
• GPS coordinates: 50.51260,2.80396
• Latest update: February 9, 2026 07:41