The silver mine of Fournel / Museum of silver mines

In the rocky escarpments overlooking the town of L'Argentière-la-Bessée, men have discovered the presence of a rich vein of silver lead.

The deposit in the Fournel valley has been the object of flourishing exploitation since the Middle Ages (10th-13th centuries). With the help of the technique of digging by fire, the workings went down to 150 m of daylight. The extracted silver fed the monetary workshops of Embrun, Cesana and Grenoble.

Then during the industrial revolution, between 1788 and 1908, several mining companies succeeded one another to complete the extraction of the ore, up to 300 meters under the mountain slopes. A factory was built at the bottom of the gorge and the mining activity occupied up to 400 people.

Since 1992, the site has been the subject of archaeological excavations and volunteer workcamps aimed at rehabilitating and enhancing this industrial heritage.

Three "escape games" in the mine: discover the Fournel silver mine in an unusual way! Imagination and reflection will be the order of the day for lovers of underground exploration:

Escape itinerant "The underground Odyssey"

Escape Mine "The discovery of the century!

Castle Escape "Let's make the trunk?!"

Useful information :

• Visit of the mine from 5 years old and not recommended for people with precarious health (pedestrian path to access the mine of 80 m difference in altitude: 10-15 minutes).
• Group limited to 19 people underground.
• Hiking shoes and appropriate clothing recommended (temperature 10°).
• Rain gear is recommended in case of bad weather.
• Allow about 2 hours 30 minutes in total. Several departures possible during the day, possibility to do the escape game and the guided tour of the mine in the same day.
• Carpooling or shuttles (in high season) between the museum and the mine's parking lot.
• Duration of the visit : 2/3h
• Languages spoken: French, English, Italian, Spanish

Open from April to the end of October; visits every day from mid-June to mid-September (reservation strongly advised)