Le 9-9bis, tourist attraction and mine in Oignies, France
Le 9-9bis is a former mining installation in Oignies with a shaft tower, spoil heap, and historic residential quarter. The site preserves extraction machinery, miners' shower facilities, and housing to show how a complete mining settlement functioned.
The site was established during the peak of coal mining in northern France and shaped Oignies' identity. It is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site that recognizes the industrial importance of this mining region.
The site's name comes from the original shaft number and layout, representing a complete mining community where work and home life were intertwined. Walking through reveals how miners moved between the pit, the shower facilities, and their residential quarter in daily routines.
The site is visited by guided tour, which explains the mining history and operations while providing access to machinery areas and residential buildings. Some sections are wheelchair accessible, though ongoing renovation work may limit access to certain areas.
Some mining machinery has been reactivated and runs demonstrations to show how extraction actually worked in operation. These active displays give visitors a direct sense of the scale and power of the industrial equipment.
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