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Origin and history

The quarries of the Lie, located on the territory of the commune of La Roche-Vineuse (Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), are a set of former mining operations installed on the side of a hill. They dominate the hamlets of Sommère and Les Bouteaux, about 10 km from Mâcon. The site extends over 300 metres long, with a width of between 55 and 150 metres, and a height of up to 20 metres. Extracted rocks, dated from the upper Jurassic, include lithographic limestones (hard and resistant) and pisolytic limestones (tenders), used in construction.

Quarrying began in the first century (Roman period), with particularly intense production during the High Empire. The activity underwent phases of abandonment before finally ceased in 1934. Until 1810, the site housed large cellars and undergrounds, providing refuge for refractory conscripts and troglodyt families. Sand extraction was also carried out. The remains include large fronts, unfinished sarcophagus and other testimonies of ancient and medieval extraction methods.

Ranked Historic Monument since January 12, 2001, Lie quarries are now protected for their soil and basement, including all parcels and fronts of size (Cadastre E 86). The site belongs to the commune of La Roche-Vieuse and offers a rare testimony of the mining techniques of antiquity in the High Middle Ages, as well as their subsequent reuse as habitat or hiding place.

Extracted limestones, especially lithographic varieties, were valued for their resistance, while softer pisolytic limestones could be worked more easily. The open-air quarry, mostly exploited during antiquity, preserves traces of these different phases, with blocks abandoned during the course of size, such as sarcophagi. These elements illustrate the evolution of local needs and know-how, related to both construction, funeral art and domestic uses.

In the 19th century, the site was still partially occupied, with women and children living in troglodytes in the galleries. This marginalised occupation reflects the social difficulties of the time, where careers provided a discreet shelter for vulnerable populations. The gradual abandonment of mining to other activities, such as sand removal, marked the transition to total decommissioning in 1934.

The Lie's careers are documented by local sources, such as Albert Barthélemy's articles published in 1983 in Images de Saône-et-Loire, which describe their history and geology. Their inscription in the Historical Monuments underscores their heritage value, both archaeological, geological and social, for the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region.

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