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Former mines of the Argentière
Datas de abertura
Access to the site only as part of guided tours organised by the tourist office.
Idioma(s) falado(s): French
An exhibition on the history of the mine, with posters showing the setting of the mine at the end of the 19th century, is on display under a lean-to from April to the beginning of November on the Argentière beach (at the end of the eastern car park).
A former metal and ore processing deposit, the most productive zinc mine in Europe at the end of the 19th century, with remains of surface installations and a gallery accessible on a guided tour.
The 2nd largest metal deposit in France originally consisted of a network of 16 gallery levels stretching for about 500 m from N-E to S-W.
Secured in the 2000s, only a 90 m long cross-bench remains visible, accessible only on guided tours.
This gallery preserves modern and pre-17th century, certainly medieval, mining remains.
A series of excavations, the result of fire cutting the rock, makes this mining work unique in the Var.
Of the ore processing plant, which covered nearly 6,000 m² from the top of the hill to the beach, a few walls remain visible from the beach, including those of a washing basin transformed into a terrace.
The residential estate also contains a villa once allocated to the director and a two-storey dwelling, originally intended for administrative offices and the miners' canteen (inaccessible to the public).
The seafront is still marked by the presence of a wharf, now used for marine rescue, and scree corresponding to another wharf built for the needs of the mine.
The jetty is built on a former mining pier.
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