Mine témoin d'Alès
Former training mine of the Houillères des Cévennes in Alès, visited on a guided tour of about 700 metres of galleries with machinery from 1880 to 1960.
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About the museum
Coal mining in the Cévennes is documented from the 1230s. It took on an industrial scale in the mid-1830s, when the railway line from La Grand-Combe to Beaucaire, via Nîmes, connected the mining basins to the major markets.
The Mine Témoin d’Alès was originally a training centre of the Houillères des Cévennes, known as QMT (quartier mine témoin). Generations of apprentice miners trained there from 1945 to 1968. To preserve the memory of this trade, Raymond Aubaret, a training technician, had the machines and equipment rescued from the Alès-La Grand-Combe basin installed in the galleries.
The route presents about 700 metres of galleries and five working faces showing mining techniques from 1880 to 1960. No coal has been extracted there recently; older galleries dating from the time of the French Revolution are closed to the public for safety reasons. Visits are made only with a seasonal guide, and a helmet is provided.
Highlights
- About 700 metres of equipped galleries
- Five working faces from 1880 to 1960
- Former training centre for miners (1945–1968)
- Guided tour with helmet and machines in operation
- Night visits and shows in summer
Permanent exhibition
- Visite guidée des galeries – Commented route through 700 metres of galleries, with tools, machines and working faces showing the work of miners from the 19th century to the closure of the last shafts.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7.50Children aged 6 to 12 and former miners |
| Children & teens | €7.50free up to age 5 · Ages 6 to 12: €7.50; ages 13 to 18: €8.50; free for under 6s. |
| Groups (20+ people) | €7.50 per personPer person, from 20 people. |
| Teenager aged 13 to 18 | €8.50 |
| Former miner | €7.50 |
| Night visit with entertainment | €14 |
Pass Cévennes and Pass’ loisirs or Ticket malin: €9.50 on presentation of the ticket. Pass Maison du mineur: €8.50 on presentation of the ticket. Payment by cash, bank cards, cheques, ANCV holiday vouchers, and bank transfer for groups.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchairs do not fit in the galleries because of the rails on the ground. An immersive virtual projection, narrated by a guide, is offered to people with reduced mobility, by reservation, for groups of 10 or more (1 hour 30 minutes). To reach the lift that descends to the galleries, visitors must climb two flights of outdoor steps (40 steps); claustrophobic visitors can also reach the galleries by another entrance.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly: not available
- Kids’ birthday parties
Treasure hunt in the galleries from age 7 and creative workshops during spring holidays, birthday package with treasure hunt, outdoor shows. Pushchairs are not allowed in the galleries; a baby carrier is recommended.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Ales’Y bus of the Alès Agglomération network and LIO regional buses; train from Nîmes to Alès (about 40 minutes).
By car
Parking available
Parking for cars, motorbikes, motorhomes and coaches, with no water or electricity hook-ups; overnight parking is not possible. Dedicated coach parking, reached via the montée des Lauriers following the signs “Mine Témoin – Accès Bus”.
GPS address: chemin de la Cité Sainte-Marie, Rochebelle district, Alès.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Picnic area largely shaded, open all year round. Animals are not allowed.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 75 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | no |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The galleries can only be visited with a guide, in groups of 30 people maximum. The visit lasts 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, including about 15 minutes of videos. Helmets are compulsory and provided at the entrance. It is between 7 and 10 °C from February to April and between 10 and 14 °C from May to November: bring warm clothes and suitable shoes. The guide may operate noisy machines after warning the group. Visits in English by reservation. Group offers are eligible for the pass Culture for school classes from grade 6 to the final year of secondary school (terminale). |
