Meulières du Mont Vouan, Historical quarry site in Viuz-en-Sallaz, France.
Meulières du Mont Vouan is a quarry site in the Alps where large, circular holes were blasted into the rock to produce millstones. The area spans seven distinct extraction zones with multiple levels and chambers that remain accessible today.
From the Early Middle Ages, millstones were extracted here for grain processing across the region. Systematic extraction ended in the late 19th century as new production methods replaced traditional stone quarrying.
The stone chambers at Saint-Andre contain carved crosses and religious symbols left by workers during their shifts. These personal marks offer a rare glimpse into the daily life and beliefs of medieval quarrymen.
The site is reached via a marked hiking trail of around 6 kilometers starting from La Source qui Rit parking area, which leads upward to the quarries. Sturdy footwear and caution are needed as paths are uneven and some chambers have tight passages.
The network extends for hundreds of meters deep into the mountain, forming one of the largest quarry systems of its kind in the French Alps. This underground dimension makes a visit particularly striking and reveals the scale of medieval labor.
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