LEWARDE HISTORIC MINING CENTER

Un grand merci tout d'abord au jeune homme de l'accueil et à la guide, qui voyant notre déception en constatant que nous n'aurions pas le temps d'attendre le départ de la visite guidée, nous a casés dans un groupe qui partait immédiatement! La visite d'une heure, casques sur la tête, nous permet de visualiser les très dures conditions de travail des mineurs à travers les siècles. La guide, très intéressante, a répondu à toutes les questions supplémentaires. Les salles d'exposition sont bien présentées, avec de bonnes explications. On a également la possibilité d'assister à des échanges avec d'anciens mineurs.

Thanks to the will public authorities and former miners, this mining site of the 20th century was exceptionally well preserved since its closing at the beginning of the 70's, after four decades of exploitation.
The guided tour takes an hour, a helmet on the head you will discover the universe of the " miners " through three centuries when mechanization takes in the course of time, more and more space to extract coal in the narrow underground corridors. Machines that must improve the productivity men shade, but that does not erase the safety and painfulness work (Firedamp, noises, silicosis, fall of the galleries...).
Before heading down in one of both pit 450 metres deep, taking the lift supported by a chevalan, you will pass through the changing rooms and the shower room then you can also visit the sortings where are in rough stay women and galibôts, young minor apprentices who nowadays, would not be standard age to work. A universe and a hard and hard time, sometimes dangerous but that leaves a good number of nostalgic of those who went down once daily in the entrails from the ground. AND? Can you dare to take the plunge?
The emotions that digs. To go back some, once returned on surface, day bacon, why not go to type a small nosh-up in the resort's restaurant, set in the old scirie? Pick in your plate potjevelsch, Flemish carbonade, fried, maroilles, chicories braised and many other specialities CH ' Ti mentioned on the menu. Groups can also book room where Pierre Bachelet after a local beers you will sing with heart including the foot supporters Lensois before the kick-off:
" In the north they were the mining cottages
The ground it was coal
The sky it was the horizon
Men of underground workers " !

guided tour by a former minor, who knows what speak. Very well done. realistic. A dip back in the past.