MUSEUM OF MINING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Bois-du-Luc mining site is one of the oldest collieries in Wallonia. A remarkable example of a workers' village built on a unique all-inclusive model between 1838 and 1923, at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. In addition to the mine, it includes social, cultural, festive and religious facilities. We discover the miners' housing (the cité), the period stores (grocery, butcher), the hospital, but also the village hall, the bandstand, the leisure arsenal, the schools, the library and the church of Sainte-Barbe. This self-sufficient social microcosm is the source of the town's originality, which earned it Unesco World Heritage status in 2012. The visit reveals the life of the workers and their families under a paternalistic policy striking a subtle balance between social control and profitability. A cosmopolitan society made up of Belgian "gueules noires", as well as Italians, North Africans, Turks, Greeks, Spaniards, Poles and even Afghans! It provides an insight into the workers' living conditions, social struggles, the metamorphosis from a rural to an industrial environment, cultural mixing... During the self-guided tour, we recommend you take the audioguide to fully understand and explore the workers' village, where you can discover the beginnings of video surveillance in the director's office! You can also climb the wooded slag heaps or take a bike tour, where nature meets culture.