THE BOCARD SILVER MINE

Although Lozère is not a major industrial region, it did not remain untouched by the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Indeed, the extraction of the region's mineral wealth led to the development of a small mining industry. In Vialas, on the foothills of Mont Lozère, a deposit of a precious metal was rediscovered in 1781: silver. Immediately, the silver vein was exploited by specialized companies from Villefort, and the site was gradually developed throughout the 19th century. Reduced to ruins today after the cessation of production in 1895, the site is composed of a group of buildings constructed of mica schist and granite, including a foundry and its manufacturing workshops. The operation of the factory was powered by hydraulic energy first (diversion canal), then thermal energy (steam engine)

A self-guided trail on site will introduce you to the history of this place.