The history of Argentière-la-Bessée
From silver vein to white water
L’Argentière-la-Bessée is the story of an alpine village that has never stopped reinventing itself. First a land of miners, then a mecca of hydroelectricity and industry, it is now a destination turned towards nature… without denying his past.
The silver mine
It all began underground, in the tenth century: silver-bearing lead was extracted in the Fournel valley. The galleries, cut with a flame, descend to 150 m. Minecarts, rails and medieval graffiti bear witness to a harsh but ingenious era. Today, the silver mine can be visited in guided immersion. When the vein ran out at the end of the nineteenth century, water took over. In 1910, engineer Gilbert Planche designed penstocks. In 1913, a hydroelectric power plant supplied an aluminum plant. Then Pechiney moved in in 1921: workers’ housing, local festivals, a cinema, and the famous clock tower, still standing, punctuate the daily life of the factory town.
Closure of the industrial site in 1985 ? Yes, but no end of story. The village is reinventing itself around heritage and the outdoors: heritage trail, museum, augmented reality app, international white water stadium… L’Argentière becomes a playground, but also a place of memory.
Whether you are curious about history or a lover of white water, L’Argentière has something to surprise you.
Things to see and do in L’Argentière-la-Bessée:
- Fournel Silver Mine – Guided tour (1h30)
- Clock Tower – One-off visits in the summer
- Musée des Claux – Archives, models, immersive room
- Heritage Trail – 2 km loop (free booklet)
- LegendR App – Augmented reality tour
- Easy access by train, shuttle to the sites in the summer