Cité ouvrière de la Combe des Mineurs, Historical workers' settlement in Le Creusot, France.
The Cité ouvrière de la Combe des Mineurs is a workers' settlement with four main brick buildings that adapt to the sloping terrain. The structures feature long-pitched roofs covered with traditional flat tiles and maintain separate entrances for each dwelling unit.
The settlement was built in 1826 by the Creusot Forge and Foundry Company under English industrialists Manby and Wilson. This early workers' colony emerged to house the growing industrial workforce in the region.
The housing follows the Welsh dual-row design with offset levels, blending British industrial building methods into French construction practices. This approach shaped how workers and their families lived together in a planned community.
The original 41 dwellings of about 23 square meters were renovated in 1982 and converted into modern social housing. The site remains accessible for visitors to explore the layout and construction of the buildings from multiple viewpoints.
A drainage system protects the northern wall from moisture, while lower-level openings face south to capture sunlight. This thoughtful design demonstrates how environmental conditions influenced housing planning in the industrial era.
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