Flashback in the Coal Mining Area

The district of Brassaget was known until the 16th century, only for its ferry, which allowed connecting the two sides of the Allier River. Its importance increased in the 17th century, with the joint development of the transportation by waterway and the mining. In 1795, almost 300 bargemen and other men working in relation with the water lived from the fluvial activity of the Allier River, and lived, for the majority, in the Brassaget district. The ferryboat of Brassaget was used until 1950.

Contact : Point info Médiathèque - 51 rue du docteur Souligoux Point info au camping municipal (en saison) 04 73 54 56 57 mairie.brassac@orange.fr

The Museum Peynet recounts the memory of Raymond Peynet, creator of the famous eponymous “Amoureux”. Located 2, avenue Jean Moulin. Phone number: 04.73.55.18.31.

The sculptures of Jérôme Rouchon are originals creations on rock, metal and wood. Located 11 avenue Grandchamp. Phone number: 06.68.21.20.09.

The Mining museum was constructed in memory of the generations of workers who left strength and courage into the guts of earth. 160m of galleries were recreated identically. You will discover the daily work and the real conditions of miners and you will also observe the headframe of Bayard, near the museum. Located on the road to La Combelle. Phone number: 04.73.54.35.82.

The exploitation of coal went down on the local history from the 15th to the 20th century. By the way, we can find in the village signals of this flourishing past. It’s in 1910 that the Northern city, called “Germinal city”, was constructed. In 1926, the Coal Board decided to continue the construction of housing in the Southern city, the city of Laquets. The Saint-Bonnet’s church was constructed in 1876, further to the crumbling of the old church. This building, culminating at 400m, is a neo-Romanesque construction. A stained glass is devoted to Sainte-Barbe, patron saint of the miners. In 1372, the commander of the Knight Hospitallers entered into an agreement with the inhabitants regarding the construction of a fortified castle.

This village has a beautiful church and a beautiful castle located at the North-East of the village. This castle has been reworked several times and, is today a private house. It’s especially fitted with a quadrangular tower, a door with a moulding frame dating back to the 17th century, and with a porch dating back to the 18th century. The church devoted to Saint-Martin is a mixed construction, perched on a rocky outcrop, the “Save” that dominates the valley. The remains of a circular tower at the south of the apse form the last testimony of the fortifications surrounding the building. Take the time to come back on miner’s steps by taking the “miner’s road”. This path was taken by the inhabitants of Beaulieu that worked in the mine of La Combelle. It took around half an hour to get to the mine.

This village became an operation centre of mineral water by chance. In 1908, the Brassac Coal Board was looking for new deposits. One of its soundings, at 200m, made water spring. Some inhabitants used it to cure little injuries and noticed that the healing was speeding up. To run this spring, a firm saw the day in 1912: the Hydroxydase Company thus called for the oxydo-reductive power of the water. For a long time, it has been home-made, but now, the operation of the spring is industrial, with a production sold only at the chemist’s for its therapy powers. A bypass of the Couze, called Béal, cross the village and made work a mill which is still visible near the castle. Until the middle of the 20th century, it supplied also fountains and wash-houses and irrigated numerous orchards.

The cutlery factory of the cutler Jean-Paul Couvert offers you a visit of its workshop where he makes laguiole and regional knives, with a demonstration of assembly and polishing. Located 15 Place de la République. Phone number: 04.73.71.66.04

The mining city of La Combelle launches an attack on the hill of “les Graves”. Its metal headframe was the first in the area. 45m high, it supported the spanner adjusters guiding the cables to take down and pull up the lift shaft with 32 miners inside. It worked from 1924 to 1978. The headframe was completely refurbished in 2002. It’s an integral part of the “complex of les Graves”, also including the “Lampisterie” (room used to stock miners’ lamps). You will also find the “Chambre Chaude” or “salle des pendus” (hanged persons’ room), recently restored, that was used as cloakroom. The room is called after its use: there, the miners suspended their clothes upright with a chain.

The amethyst, with its brilliant violet colour, was exploited for more than 5 centuries in the park of Livradois-Forez, for jewellery and ornamentation. Go looking for it with passionate miners that dig by hand in their deposit in Pégut. Information and reservation “Amethysts of Auvergne” at the 06.78.85.65.44.

The prosperous time of the inland water shipping of Auvergne is indivisible of the success of wine-growing and mining exploitation. Until the arrival of the railway in the middle of the 19th century, flat-bottomed boats were constructed in Jumeaux with pine from Livradois and Margeride, hence their name of “sapinière” (plantation). Then, they went down the Allier River on a one-way trip and transported to Paris the cargoes of coal, wine, fruits, etc. In Jumeaux, there was a time in which construction sites spread along the Allier River for more than one kilometre, and they employed in 1795 almost 260 carpenters, apportioned in 80 workshops (there is no more remains of this today). Between Jumeaux and Coudes were staggered on the Allier River about ten “ports” where goods were embarked over the descent. Along the river, several elements discreetly remind of this closed chapter of the navigation of the Allier River: old ramps or quays in Brassaget and Coudes, or storage caves (old port of Perthus in Orbeil).

“L’escargot des murailles” presents you the snail farming so that you can discover all the development from the egg to the plate. Visit of the snail farming from May to September and sales at the farm on reservation, all year. Located “rue du ruisseau”. Phone number : 06.30.81.34.81.