Puits Hottinguer, Coal mine in Épinac, France.
Puits Hottinguer is a coal mine in Épinac featuring a distinctive Malakoff tower that protects the headframe and extraction machinery from the elements. The structure was built between 1872 and 1876 and demonstrates the industrial engineering approach of that era.
The mine was established in the late 1800s and became one of France's most ambitious mining projects of that period. It played a key role in the industrialization of the Burgundy region and shaped local society for many decades.
The site reflects the industrial identity that shaped the region for generations, showing how central coal mining was to local life and economy. Visitors can sense the connection between the landscape and the work that defined this place for over a century.
The site is currently undergoing extensive restoration work that affects visitor access in some areas, so checking conditions beforehand is wise. A new visitor path has been created to allow exploration around the Malakoff tower and other historic structures, giving a sense of the site's scale and layout.
The site featured an unusual extraction method using pressurized air through a large diameter tube system to move coal from below the surface. This experimental approach was developed specifically for deep mining and represents an intriguing technical solution from the industrial era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
