Musée des Mines d'Argent de L'Argentière-la-Bessée

Over het museum

The Fournel silver mine, near L'Argentière-la-Bessée, was worked in the Middle Ages for its silver-bearing lead. It is mentioned as early as 1155 in a charter granting the right to strike coins, and the medieval workings descended to about 150 meters below the surface. Extraction resumed at the end of the 18th century and lasted about fifty years, mainly in the 19th century: between 1850 and 1870 the mine was the largest employer in the Hautes-Alpes, with 300 to 500 workers, more than half of them Italian immigrants. Operations ended permanently in 1908.

The site has been open to the public since 1992. Numerous volunteers (more than 1,500 people have been recorded) cleared the galleries and recovered machinery and tools. The revival of the mine is led by the town of L'Argentière-la-Bessée, with its municipal cultural department and a center for scientific, technical and industrial culture.

The visit begins at the Musée de la Mine, 10 rue du Château, where a permanent exhibition (archaeological remains, interpretive panels) and a 20-minute video present the site. A 3.5 km trip by shuttle or car then leads to the Fournel valley, and a mountain path leads on to the mine. The underground route of about 600 meters passes through 19th-century galleries blasted with explosives, a machine room (pumping and winding) and medieval vaulted chambers dug by fire-setting.

Hoogtepunten

• Guided underground tour of the Fournel silver mine (route of about 600 m)
• 19th-century galleries blasted with explosives, and a machine room with pump and winch
• Medieval vaulted chambers excavated by fire-setting
• Musée de la Mine with a permanent exhibition and 20-minute video
• Medieval visit with coin striking, exploration games and escape games

Vaste collectie

• Musée de la Mine – Permanent exhibition with archaeological remains and interpretive panels, complemented by a 20-minute video.
• Visite souterraine « L'incontournable » – Guided route of about 600 m through the silver mine: 19th-century galleries, the machine room and medieval chambers.

Beheerder

Commune de L'Argentière-la-Bessée

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

2026 prices. The regular price shown is for the “L'incontournable” guided tour for adults over 16. Payment in cash, by bank card, by check or with paper ANCV holiday vouchers (ANCV Connect is not accepted); online payment is possible for the “L'incontournable” tour and the games.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk: geen informatie
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The visit is not recommended for people with fragile health. The access path to the mine climbs about 80 m in 10 to 15 minutes, with about 150 steps, and the interior has a very steep staircase and a damp floor. The visit takes place at about 1,200 m above sea level.

Kinderen & gezin

Aanbevolen vanaf 5 jaar

Mine tours are open from age 5; the games (exploration, escape game) are recommended from age 10, in teams of 3 to 6 players.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The meeting point is the Musée de la Mine, not the mine itself. The mine is 3.5 km away (about 10 minutes by car); depending on the package booked, you get there by carpool or shuttle. The shuttle runs on most time slots between July 14 and August 24.

Service & horeca

The museum's landscaped park, where groups can picnic by reservation (drinking water, bins and toilets). Cafés, restaurants and shops in the town center, about a 10-minute walk away.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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