Start of extraction Moyen Âge (≈ 1125)
Exploitation of slate since this period.
XVIIIe-XIXe siècles
Open pit career
Open pit career XVIIIe-XIXe siècles (≈ 1865)
Reconstitution of historical extraction methods.
1975
Creation of the museum
Creation of the museum 1975 (≈ 1975)
Foundation by former miners after well closure.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Ancien mineur (non nommé) - Museum Initiator
Created the museum in 1975.
Perreyeurs (non nommés) - Craftsmen of slate
Specialists in slate size.
Origin and history
The Renazé Slate Museum was created in 1975 by former miners and perreyers after the closure of the last well of the local slates. Their goal was to preserve the memory of this mining basin, which was mined in the Middle Ages. Renazé is part of a wider set of angelian slate sites, including Noyant-la-Gravoyère and Trelazé, linked to the Armo Rican massif.
The site reconstructed around a straddling and extraction well presents the key steps in mining, from underground mining to surface slate slit techniques. An open-air career, as it existed in the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as a minor's house, illustrate living and working conditions. Demos of shale slots and tool collections complete the visit.
The local geology is explained in detail, highlighting the link between the Renaze deposit and the Armo Rican massif. The museum showcases technical elements such as carts, machines and tools, while offering cultural activities in partnership with the Ministry of National Education.
