Ardoisières de La Pouëze, mine in France
The Ardoisières de La Pouëze is a former slate mine in Erdre-en-Anjou with shafts and underground tunnels where workers extracted slate from the early 19th century onward. The site is now a protected monument with remains of buildings, tools, and a restored wooden headframe standing above one of the shafts.
The slate mines began their main activity in the early 19th century and peaked in the 1830s with production of several million roof tiles per year. Operations ended in 1997 after nearly two centuries as one of the region's primary industries.
The name La Pouëze comes from the slate quarries that shaped life here for generations. Visitors still see the worker housing and tools that show how closely the community was tied to this work.
The site is accessible through guided tours that provide safe passage through selected areas of the shafts and tunnels. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for uneven ground.
The headframe of the third shaft, known as Espérance, is a rare 1922 wooden structure that was reconstructed in 2014 after damage. This structure is one of the few remaining wooden headframes still standing in France.
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