A UNESCO-listed industrial masterpiece
La Grande Saline, an age-old industrial adventure
Relive the centuries of the "white gold" epic in Salins-les-Bains. From the discovery of the saltwater springs to the growth of a modern-day industry, we'll tell you how salt mining became the driving force behind the economy of an entire region.
Through the centuries
The white gold of the Grande Saline salt works
The "white gold" epic is an ancient story, an industrial, political, economic and, above all, human adventure that is firmly rooted in the subsoils of Salins-les-Bains. At the beginning there were saltwater springs.The region successfully exploited this resource with the installation of mining infrastructure at Salins-les-Bains from the 15th century. Then, in the middle of the Age of Enlightenment, the Royal Salt Works of Arc-et-Senans was created by order of Louis XIV under the utopian vision of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux.
Every day, 135,000 litres of raw brine were tapped at Salins and carried to Arc-et-Senans via a 21-kilometre brine duct. Both sites are UNESCO World Heritage features.
The structure includes over 165 metres of tunnels built in the 13th century, and a waterwheel that drives a 32-metre rocker arm to pump the salty water... One cannot fail to be impressed by the extraordinary dimensions of this symbol of the technological ingenuity of that period!
La Grande Saline de Salins-lesBains classée à l'UNESCO M.COQUARD et E.DETREZ Bestjobers / Bourgogne-Franche-Comte Tourisme
Did you know?
Why all this salt, so far away from the sea?
Actually, salt has been present in the Jura Mountains for thousands of years. Its existence can be explained by geology, and the presence of a prehistoric sea which evaporated to leave behind a salt deposit now buried 250 metres beneath the surface. Nature did most of the work, because it was rainwater seepage that caused the leaching of this deposit and the creation of the saltwater springs.
Relive history
The Salt Museum of Salins-les-Bains
The best way to fully understand the importance of salt in the region is to immerse yourself in its environment. Find out why Arc-et-Senans was chosen to receive brine from the Grande Saline, how salt became a royal concern, who the architects behind this extraordinary project were, and what the working conditions were like...
Expect all of this and much more when you visit the Salt Museum of the Grande Saline. Learn about its architecture, the machinery, the business model and so on, and discover why the site closed down despite the technical prowess and ingenuity that it represented at the time.
La grande saline de salins-les-bains
Wellbeing at the thermal baths of Salins-les Bains
The town's mineral wealth can be discovered at the Grande Saline but also at the thermal baths!
Rich in trace elements, the waters of this town are your ally when it comes to an afternoon or more of wellbeing.
Places to visit near the salt works and on the theme of salt
Intertwined destinies
The Royal Salt Works of Arc-et-Senans
The Saline Royale, an extension of the Grande Saline and another architectural feature listed as UNESCO World Heritage, is a logical next step during your visit.
A UNESCO site of many assets
Take to the heights
Mont Poupet
The best way to apprehend the local topology is to take to the heights. A walk up Mount Poupet, besides being a pleasant way to relax, offers a stunning view of the area around Salins-les-Bains.
Salins – le mont poupet
The salt trail
Terra Salina
To perfect your salt knowledge, understand its economic influence, learn how it became a target for smugglers and find out why its exploitation eventually stopped, follow the Terra Salina trail. This itinerary retraces the history of "white gold" on either side of the French-Swiss border.
Le sel entre France et Suisse
