Écomusée de l'Ardoise

About the museum

In Trélazé, near Angers, slate (schiste ardoisier) has been quarried for seven centuries to make roofing slates. The idea of a museum was born in 1973 with a former slate splitter, Marcel Goacolou. The association “Les amis de l'ardoise” was founded on April 19, 1979 by former slate workers, with the support of the town. The museum opened in 1983 in a 16th-century house, formerly the residence of the quarry manager. In 1985 the association acquired the three hectares of the slate site, and an amphitheater was built in 1989 for splitting demonstrations.

The exhibition rooms occupy a former match factory dating from 1864, which the town bought. They were entirely refitted in 2012 with a more interactive route. They present geology, ancient and current extraction techniques, the uses of slate, and tools and machinery. The museum has held the “Musée de France” label since 2003.

The Union – Petit Pré site is a former quarry, protected as a listed site, with waste heaps of slate, open-pit quarries known as vieux-fonds, and a 19th-century drainage mill (moulin d'exhaure). In 2026, the DRAC (the state's regional cultural affairs department) approved the museum's transformation into an ecomuseum focused on the link between the territory, its inhabitants and the transmission of slate-working skills.

Highlights

• Slate-splitting demonstration by a splitter in an amphitheater
• Exhibition rooms in a former 1864 match factory
• Protected Union – Petit Pré slate site, with its vieux-fonds and drainage mill
• 16th-century house of the quarry manager
• Shop selling slate objects from Trélazé

Permanent exhibitions

• Salles d'exposition sur l'histoire de l'ardoise – Geology, ancient and current extraction techniques, uses of slate, tools and machinery.
• Démonstration de fente d'ardoise – A splitter recreates the traditional gestures to produce thin slates from a block of schist.
• Site ardoisier de l'Union - Petit Pré – Former three-hectare quarry with waste heaps, open-pit quarries and a drainage mill.

Founded

1983

Operated by

Association Les amis de l'ardoise

Visitors per year

approx. 15,500

Admission & discounts

Base rate for a self-guided visit of the exhibition rooms (about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes). Guided visit and demonstration from 2 people, for safety reasons. The website lists discounts with the Cezam, Carte Loisirs, Gîtes de France, Carte avantage and City Pass cards. Association members (annual membership of €22) enter free. A combined ticket with the Mine Bleue in Noyant-la-Gravoyère is offered in 2026; information at 02 41 69 04 71. Payment by card, cash, check or holiday vouchers.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

The website states that the site is accessible to people with disabilities, and the museum received the Tourisme et Handicap label in 2013.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family activities during school holidays, for example a Cluedo-style investigation in the park and the museum from October 20 to 30, 2026 (by reservation). Workshops for school groups (Petit Fendeur). Child rate from age 6.

Getting there & parking

By car: from Paris, Nantes or Cholet, take exit 19 “Écomusée de l'Ardoise” from the A87 and follow “Pôle Hervé Bazin”, chemin de la Maraîchère, in Trélazé. The museum has the Accueil vélo and Loire à vélo labels.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Reception shop with souvenirs of Anjou and handmade slate objects from Trélazé. Shaded picnic area in the park, open to visitors who have paid admission; restaurants in Trélazé are 500 m to 2.4 km away.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit