Dreaming of towering giants sculpted by time? Right here we stand in Loos-en-Gohelle. It is a town crowned by the terrils of the 11-19 mines of Lens. These aren’t just hills. They’re monuments to a rich and complex past.
Loos-en-Gohelle is a French commune. It resides in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region. The people who live here are called Loossois. The town is part of the Lens-Liévin conurbation community.
Once, Loos-en-Gohelle was a major mining town. The Béthune mining company opened its pit 5-5 bis here. Later, the Lens mining company dug pits 11-19. Pit 11-19 is preserved. They also dug pits 12, 14 bis, 15-15 bis, and 16. This made Loos-en-Gohelle a key part of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais mining area.
These spoil heaps dominate the landscape. They stand as Europe’s tallest. One reaches 184 meters and the other 182 meters. The heaps are visible for miles. The mines represent a living and changing landscape.
Since 2012 the mining area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Loos-en-Gohelle has always been closely linked with mining. Coal was found here in 1855. From that moment on, mining changed the village. Originally it had been agricultural. Six mine shafts were dug. Seven residue heaps remained. The two big heaps are now local and mining symbols. They are the highest in Europe.
Loos-en-Gohelle’s mines included the Fosse 5 – 5 bis. Coal was first discovered in Loos-en-Gohelle in 1855. The first borings started on the Chemin des Ragonieux. Coal was reached at 140 meters. Pit 5 was started in 1875. The 5 bis was added in 1901.
The Fosse 11 was also known as Saint-Pierre or Pierre Destombes. After Béthune mines, Lens mines came to Loos. Jules Casteleyn started the works of the Fosse 11. In 1960, the 11 was attached to the 19.
Fosse 12 was also known as Saint-Édouard or Édouard Bollaert. Édouard Bollaert gave his name to the pit. He was the general agent of the Lens mines. Construction finished in 1893. The pit went into service on January 1, 1894.
Fosse 14 bis was also known as Saint-Ernest or Ernest Cuvelette. It was named after the director of the Lens Mines. He organized their rebuilding from 1919 to 1935. Construction began in 1905.
The Fosse 15 was named after Maurice Tilloy. He was an industrialist from Lille. He helped search for coal with Mr. Casteleyn. The first shaft was dug in 1894. It reached 197 m.
Fosse 16 was named after Albert Motte. He was a chairman of the board of the Lens Mines. Construction started in 1909. The shaft was destroyed during World War One.
The Site 19 has two pits. They are the 19 and the 11. The pit 11 was built in 1890. Its metal headframe was built in 1925.
Loos-en-Gohelle is more than its mining history. The town is also making transition towards renewable energy. The town decided to keep the heaps. This would remember the mining activity. The town is remarkable for its environmental policies. The people of Loos called the solar plan Mine de soleil.
In 2015, French President François Hollande welcomed climate delegates to the terrils. Later Emmanuel Macron also visited the site.
Today, Loos-en-Gohelle stands as a testament. It shows how a community can reinvent itself. Loos-en-Gohelle embraces its past while building a sustainable future.