Puits Saint-Louis

Puits Saint-Louis is a mining well in Champagney that extends to a depth of 135 meters and features wooden casing techniques typical of early nineteenth century coal extraction. The shaft now lies beneath a residential building at the foot of a hill in the Houillère hamlet.

Operations began in 1823 as the first major shaft in the Ronchamp coal basin, marking the start of industrial coal extraction in the region. Two significant firedamp explosions in 1824 and 1830 prompted new safety regulations for regional mining operations.

A memorial installed in 2012 displays coal wagons and timber frames that commemorate the mining heritage of this location.

The site is accessible at ground level through a commemorative monument in the Houillère hamlet. The above-ground memorial gives insight into the mining heritage even though the shaft itself lies concealed beneath the building.

The shaft intersected a rare layer of iron ore beneath the coal seams, making this site particularly valuable to nineteenth century industrialists. This proximity to multiple mineral resources explained the economic importance of the area.