La Mine bleue

About

La Mine Bleue is an industrial tourist site in the commune of Noyant-la-Gravoyère, Maine-et-Loire. The site is located on the former farm of the Ardoisières de la Gatelière.

1916: On 30 May, the company "Ardoisières Angevines de Saint-Blaise" was created. 1920: Minors are granted social security and pension rights at age 55, after 30 years of service. 1924: the "Ardoisières Angévines de Saint-Blaise" society reorients the mining work towards the West-North-West, in healthy terrain. 1927: 94 workers work underground and 200 on the hill, including 140 splitters. 1930: The technique of sawing chambers becomes the main method of extraction. 1935: Lardoisière has its production record: 620 tonnes of slate manufactured for the British market. 1936: July 25, the Gatelière site closes for bankruptcy of the bank "Bougère Fils et Pousset", the main shareholder.

Following the cessation of activity of iron and steel mines from 1985 to 1986, more than 300 layoffs...