The mines of Grandfontaine

The mining museum nestles at the foot of the Donon in the Bruche Valley. For almost 700 years, this was home to the richest iron deposits in the Vosges range. Converted by the district council in 1981, the Grandfontaine mine offers visitors an extraordinary journey into the world of mining from the early 1800's to 1860.
Equipment will be supplied on site (oilskin and helmet). You'll discover almost 800 m of vast galleries, their walls covered with (blue) copper sulphate and iron hydroxide in the form of rustbrown stalactites. Worked using explosives, the huge lower cavities make it possible to appreciate the massive quantity of material extracted here (haematite and pyrites). Other flooded pits are still visible today, and lead to the six lower levels, which are no longer accessible.
The mine is currently closed to visitors due to a landslide. The date of its reopening is unknown at the moment.