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Origin and history

The Mathilde pit, opened in 1831 by the Anzin Mine Company in Denain, was named in honour of Mathilde Bonaparte, the niece of Napoleon I. It started on 15 July 1831, five years after the Villars pit, the first of the commune. Originally dug by hand up to 13 metres, the well then used a steam machine to reach the coalfield at 71 metres. The pit quickly became the most productive of Denain, exploiting veins as president (103 m) or Edmond (155 m), with a peak of 22,000 tons in 1837.

Despite modernisations, including an extraction machine in 1855 allowing the movement of personnel, production declined due to a poor deposit. The pit ceased operations in 1862, after extracting 549,000 tons of coal. The well, preserved for ventilation until 1863, was filled, but its surface buildings were converted into dwellings. The facilities included an access ramp, a yard, and a partly preserved horse riding.

In the 21st century, Charbonnages de France materialized the head of the well, and the pit was listed as historical monuments in 2010. In 2012 it became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, among the 353 elements of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais mining basin (site 17). Today, the site bears witness to Denain's industrial heritage, marked by coal, steel and metallurgy, which transformed this town into a major economic centre.

The conversion of buildings into housing as early as 1863 illustrates an early transition to civilian use of mining infrastructure. The annual inspections of the GMRO and the preservation of the ramp underline its heritage importance. The Mathilde pit, with its history linked to the Bonaparte family and the industrial revolution, embodies both the successes and the limitations of coal mining in the region.

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