📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The Vallauria Mine has been exploited between the Middle Ages and 1930 for his galena deposit (silver lead) and sphalerite (zinc mineral). Today, the site has a historical and geological preserved heritage. This is one of the largest mines in the Alps. Since 2011, volunteers have been working on the site to make it accessible above and underground. Archaeological excavations have been ongoing since 2009.
This project is about highlighting the geological and mining heritage. Your work will enable the association “Neige & Merveilles” and the town of Tende to create a new service of sustainable tourism and to develop an economic activity that will benefit the entire area. We aim to open the mine to the public and to implement public tours that will showcase this exceptional heritage.
💼 What the programme involves
You will work inside the mine, in the medieval part of the site. You will clean and drain a gallery and move some stones in order to facilitate visitors' circulation. We will use a special technique to split and move the stones. We will use them to rebuild the existing walls (traditional dry-stone technique).
We will work 4 days a week (from 8.30- to 12 and 14 to 17.30). There will be a technical leader and an archaeological monitoring.
🏠 Accommodation on site
in rooms of 2, 3 or 4 people. You will not cook the meals as there will be a kitchen team but you will be asked to help the team to cook sometimes and to clean the dining room and the dishes.
📍 About the location
Two full weekends and one day during the week will be dedicated to leisure activities. You will discover archaeological sites such as « La Vallée des Merveilles » (Valley of Marvels) and « La Vallée de Fontanalbe » but also the Mercantour National Park. You will be able to enjoy sport activities : hiking, climbing, … You will decide and organize the activities all together.