Inauguration of the well 1780 (≈ 1780)
First well in the coal pond.
1844
Creation of the Compagnie des Mines
Creation of the Compagnie des Mines 1844 (≈ 1844)
Regrouping of operators to finance.
1855
Construction of horse riding
Construction of horse riding 1855 (≈ 1855)
The oldest wooden horsemanship preserved.
1893
Deepening to 169 m
Deepening to 169 m 1893 (≈ 1893)
Resumption before abandonment.
1903
Abandonment of the well
Abandonment of the well 1903 (≈ 1903)
End of extractive activity here.
1953
Stoppage of installations
Stoppage of installations 1953 (≈ 1953)
Transformation into a residential area.
25 août 1995
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 25 août 1995 (≈ 1995)
Protection of horse riding and buildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Wood horses, machine building, large chimney (Box AO 14): inscription by order of 25 August 1995
Key figures
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Origin and history
The Combélibert well, located in Rive-de-Gier in the Loire Coal Basin, is an emblematic monument to French mining in the 19th century. Dating from 1855 for its wooden chivalry – the oldest preserved – it symbolizes the transition to modern mining techniques, abandoning submersible small wells for biased galleries. This well, inaugurated in 1780, was initially 80 metres deep and was deepened to 169 metres in 1893, before its definitive abandonment in 1903.
The site illustrates the technological progress of the time, with the use of steam machines to dig deeper, as evidenced by the stone building and its square brick chimney. The creation of the Compagnie Générale de Mines de la Loire in 1844 allowed the capital needed for these innovations to be centralized. The 10-metre-high horse riding, supported by four pillars without a pusher, is a final example of a wooden structure, while the facilities, stopped in 1953, were then converted into a residential area.
Ranked as a Historic Monument in 1995, the Combélibert well retains three protected elements: the wooden chivalry, the machine building, and the large chimney. These remains recall the economic importance of coal in the region, as well as the industrial and social changes associated with its exploitation. The site, although partially transformed, remains a tangible marker of this mining heritage, now integrated into the urban landscape of Rive-de-Gier.
