Ronchamp coal mines

Coal mine Saint Louis.

Spoil tip at Ronchamp colored red from subterranean combustion

The Ronchamp Coal Mines were an area of coal mines located in the Vosges and Jura coal mining basins, in eastern France. They covered three municipalities; Ronchamp, Champagney and Magny-Danigon. Operated for more than two centuries, from the mid-eighteenth century until the mid-twentieth century, they have profoundly changed the landscape, the economy and the local population.

Mining began in Ronchamp in the mid-18th century and had developed into a large industry by the late 19th century, employing 1500 people.

Extraction started in adit before being dug at coal mine Saint Louis in 1810, indroducing the first real extraction mine-shaft. The shaft seams sunk more and more, and became deeper until the well, owned by (Civil Society coal Ronchamp), eventually became the deepest mine in France beating the coal mine du Magny (694 meters) in 1878 and the coal mine Arthur de Buyer (1010 meters) in 1900. After the nationalisation of mines in 1946, the shaft and the thermal power station was entrusted to Electricité de France.

After closing in 1958, the mining sites and infrastructures were demolished and workers had to convert to other professions. Later, a museum and two associations were created to preserve the memory of the mining heritage and several sites were redeveloped to become tourist attractions.

The museum looks back at the miner's work, their techniques, tools they used and their social life. A collection of miners lamps are also on display. ^[1]

Mine list

Digging	Name	Depth	Activity	Function	Other functions
1810	Coal mine Saint-Louis	135 m	1823 – 1842	Extraction
1815	Coal mine Henri IV	61 m	1816 – 1835	Extraction
1822	Coal mine Samson	19 m	1824	Extraction
1825	Coal mine #1	164 m	1827 – 1833	Extraction
1825	Coal mine #2	156 m	1828 – 1833	Extraction
1825	Coal mine #3	38 m	1826 – 1829	Extraction
1829	Coal mine #4	45 m	1830 – 1841	Extraction
1830	Coal mine #5	74 m	1832	Research
1832	Coal mine #6	66 m	1834 – 1836	Extraction	Ventilation 1839-1850
1839	Coal mine #7	205 m	1843 – 1849	Extraction	Ventilation 1849-1872
1845	Coal mine Saint Charles / #8	315 m	1847 – 1895	Extraction
1850	Coal mine Saint Joseph	453 m	1855 – 1895	Extraction
1851	Coal mine Notre Dame d'Éboulet	564 m	1859 – 1896	Extraction	Drainage 1896-1958
1854	Coal mine Saint Jean	51 m	1856	Research
1854	Coal mine Sainte Barbe	324 m	1860 – 1872	Extraction	Ventilation of coal mine Sainte-Pauline
1854	Coal mine Sainte Pauline	546 m	1861 – 1884	Extraction
1855	Coal mine de l'Espérance	103 m	1858	Extraction
1864	Coal mine Sainte Marie	359 m	1866 – 1869	Extraction	Ventilation 1869-1958
1866	Coal mine Saint Georges	470 m	1870 – 1873	Extraction
1873	Coal mine du Magny	694 m	1878 – 1958	Extraction	Service 1916-1928
1873	Coal mine du Chanois	588 m	1900 – 1951	Extraction
1883	Coal mine du Tonnet / #9	574 m	1886 – 1888	Extraction
1884	Coal mine #10	247 m	1886 – 1896	Ventilation
1892	Coal mine Arthur de Buyer / #11	1 010 m	1900 – 1954	Extraction
1949	Coal mine de l'Étançon / #13 bis	44 m	1950 – 1958	Extraction

Picture

• 

  The offices of the Coal mine of Ronchamp (2012).

• 

  Coal mine Arthur de Buyer ruin.

• 

  Coal mine Sainte-Marie in 2007.

References

1. Coal mine of Ronchamp

External links

• (French) Les amis du musée de la mine.
• English website about the Coal mine of Ronchamp