Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sarteau pit, operated by the Compagnie des Mines d'Anzin, was dug from 1822 at Fresnes-sur-Escaut, near the Escaut. The extraction well, begun on 4 June 1822, reached the coalfield in January 1823 after only seven months of work, despite abundant water coming from the proximity of the river. A depletion well, which began on August 8, 1823, was quickly submerged, illustrating the site's recurrent difficulties. Coal production continued despite these obstacles until 1860, when the pit was finally stopped.

After its closure, the extraction well was still used for the construction of the Over Wez pit until 1867. The exhaustion well, filled in 1883, retained its brick tower, the only architectural vestige. In the 20th century, the site was recognized for its industrial heritage: the horse riding and its military installations (lockhouse of 1938) were classified as historical monuments in 1999, after a first inscription in 1984. The pit was finally listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012 as an emblematic part of the mining basin.

The north well, built between 1823 and 1855, has a remarkable brick architecture, evoking a medieval dungeon. Transformed during the First World War and concreted in 1938 for military use, it is one of the few testimonies of 19th-century mining techniques in France. The adjacent soil (No 190), flat and wooded, as well as the well heads materialized by Charbonnages de France, complete this preserved industrial landscape.

The Sarteau pit embodies the technological and human challenges of coal mining in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, between innovations to combat flooding and infrastructure adaptation. Its ranking at UNESCO underlines its role in European industrial history, while subsequent military developments reflect the strategic reuse of these sites after their abandonment.

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