BALANCED CHIMNEY AT THE MONTMIRAT PASS

As you pass through the Montmirat pass, you will no doubt have noticed this strange sandstone structure standing alone facing the road. It is a factory chimney belonging to the silver-lead mine known as the Montmirat Mine. The silver veins of Montmirat were mined in the 15th century, but it was truly during the 19th century that the ore extraction industry took hold, operated by the Compagnie des Mines de Montmirat.