Les Luminières

Description

Hidden under the vegetation are remains that look like a mediaeval fortress and tell the adventure story of coal mining. This path leading to Le Simonet’s headframe (mine tower) shows you the traces of an ingenious system for transporting coal, whose remains still cling to the slope. From the ghost hamlet of Les Luminières, you have a good view over these vestiges of open-cast coal mining from the 20th century. Le Simonet’s headframe takes centre stage among the pine trees, overlooking a vertiginous inclined plane.

Difficulty

Official rating: easy, by Parc national des Cévennes.

Before you go

• For your own safety and to preserve the site, you must stay on the marked path

Getting there

Start: La Haute Levade, Sainte-Cécile-d'Andorge (30).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Cévennes, Licence Ouverte 1.0, Licence Ouverte 1.0 (Etalab) (destination.cevennes-parcnational.fr/trek/74824-Sentier-des-energies-%3A-Les-luminieres). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 232 m, Parc national des Cévennes