Urban Exploration - The Punishment Mine

This photographic report is the surprise of the day; I never expected to find a place like this. Over a year ago, Les Astres located this mine entrance, which is completely hidden in a hollow within a pasture. Without knowing exactly where to look, it is undetectable. Given the state of the entrance—very low, muddy, with a large stream flowing out—I initially dubbed it "The Punishment Mine." I was expecting a grueling and uninspiring gallery, like so many others.

I clearly underestimated the quality of this mine. After a daunting 200-meter crawl through sticky mud, sometimes in 40 cm of water under a very low ceiling, it finally opens up into a pleasant landscape. If this is a "punishment," I’ll take it every day!

The location of this mine will not be shared; please do not contact me regarding its coordinates.

Historical and Technical Context
It is difficult to determine exactly what took place at this mining site, as I have no specific historical records. I suspect it was an iron mine, excavated at the end of the 19th century. The drilling and blasting marks at the start of the gallery are quite typical of that period. The gallery winds beneath the pastures for a total length of less than one kilometer. There are no side tunnels or active stopes.

The end of the visit is marked by a dry-stone wall collapse. A long "squeeze" (chatière) allows one to bypass this obstruction.

It is highly likely that this gallery served as an unwatering adit (exhaure) for a much larger mine, which would have been accessible in its time via vertical shafts. It is unfortunate that none of those main workings are accessible today; one can only imagine how impressive they must have been. As for the various artifacts found, such as boxes and tables, these were once physical science measurement installations. All of them are currently disconnected.

Secondary Gallery
At the end of page 2, I have added another visit located just a few steps away. This is also an unwatering adit for a large mine. Approximately 600 meters long, it is entirely linear and offers no unique features. The end of the gallery is blocked by a collapse, and the main workings remain inaccessible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vincent Tchorski

This article was written by Vincent Tchorski, who is passionate about the history of forgotten places and describing unusual locations. He has been documenting industrial and religious heritage since 1996. Specializing in the study of mines and underground structures, he is committed to preserving the memory of these sites through rigorous documentary research and immersive photography.