Musée de la Mine et de la Minéralogie de Saint-Pierre-la-Palud
Volunteer-run museum of pyrite mining, with a reconstructed gallery, a mineral collection and a trail to the Perret shaft.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The pyrite mines of Saint-Pierre-la-Palud have been worked since the Middle Ages. The Perret brothers developed them from 1840, and mining stopped in 1972. The association Les Amis de la mine founded the museum from 1980. It opened on December 4, 1982, in the former mine infirmary.
The museum expanded over time: a palaeontology room opened in 1986, a reconstruction of an inclined gallery (descenderie) in 1988, and a modern building for reception and film screenings was inaugurated in 2002. The Perret shaft, with its headframe, winding engine and several buildings, has been listed as a monument historique since 2010 and can be visited along an explanatory trail.
The route presents a gallery and workings reconstructed by former miners, about 130 miners' lamps and mining equipment, and a mineral collection of more than 2,790 specimens in 41 cases, the largest in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It also covers the village's community life and testimonies from miners and their families.
Highlights
- Gallery and workings reconstructed by former miners
- About 130 miners' lamps, some very rare
- More than 2,790 minerals in 41 cases, with azurites from a local deposit
- Explanatory trail to the Perret shaft, a listed historic monument
- Guided tour of about one hour
Permanent exhibitions
- La mine – A gallery and workings reconstructed with timbering, a stable, the foreman's hut and a statue of Saint Barbara show how the work changed from the 19th century until closure.
- Minéralogie et paléontologie – The mineral and fossil collection has more than 2,790 specimens in 41 cases, including azurites from a local deposit.
- Puits Perret – A trail marked with panels leads to the mining site, where visitors see the headframe, the ore-receiving buildings, the machine room and the spoil heap.
- Founded
- 1980
- Operated by
- Association des Amis de la mine
- Visitors per year
- approx. 3,190 (2016)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5.50Children aged 3 to 16 and students |
| Children & teens | €5.50Rate for children aged 3 to 16. |
| Students & apprentices | €5.50 |
| Groups (20+ people) | €6 per personFrom 20 people: €6 for adults and €4.50 for children aged 3 to 16 and for students. |
Payment by Carte Bleue, cheque or cash. School groups contact the museum by email to arrange a date and rate; the Pass Culture is accepted.
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 museum's website states that it is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Kids & families
Picnic and play areas are located near the museum.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Large car park nearby, convenient for coaches.
Amenities & dining
A large car park, picnic and play areas are nearby. The website does not mention Wi-Fi for visitors.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The guided tour lasts about an hour and goes through the gallery and reconstructed workings. A self-guided route also presents miners' lamps, minerals, palaeontology and the history of the mine. Educational materials are available for primary schools, collèges and lycées. To book a group visit: visitemuseedelamine@gmail.com. |
