La Grande Saline de Salins-les-Bains

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, the Grande Saline de Salins-les-Bains is an ancient salt production site, unique in Europe.
For 1,200 years, men and women exploited the naturally salty water in the subsoil to extract the precious white gold. It was thanks to the Grande Saline that the town of Salins-les-Bains prospered, becoming the economic capital of Franche-Comté and one of the most powerful cities in medieval Europe.
Accompanied by a guide, you will first descend into the very heart of history, into the two salt water extraction shafts protected by majestic vaults. This gallery, built in the 11th century like a cathedral, is 165 metres long and 10 metres high. It houses a large wheel, a large 19th-century balance wheel and a pump that is still in operation, pumping up brine containing 330 grams of salt per litre (saltier than the Dead Sea!). The tour continues in the evaporation building, where you can get a feel for the working atmosphere of the salt workers. Everything here is preserved and authentic: the tools, the salt trolleys, the salt-soaked woodwork and the last salt pan in France, a moving reminder of the salt industry's working memory.
Closed in 1962 due to a lack of modernisation and too much competition from sea salt, the Grande Saline still retains all its production tools, giving visitors a better understanding of salt production in Franche-Comté. A veritable industrial and architectural treasure trove, the Grande Saline is a living and moving site. It's a history that our guides will bring to life for you every day.

Access to the gallery is by staircase only, and the underground temperature is around 12°C.
Duration of the guided tour (compulsory to discover the underground section): 1 hour (4 visit stations of around 12 minutes each).

At the end of the guided tour, you'll have access to the old salt granaries to discover other aspects of salt production in Franche-Comté and the spa industry.

The "White Gold Rush" is a guided tour for children aged between 6 and 11, followed by a demonstration of the evaporation of salt water and a salt extraction workshop. It takes place during the school holidays (all zones combined) on Wednesdays at 3.45pm, and from 13 July to 28 August from Monday to Friday at 3.45pm. Departure guaranteed from 2 children between 7 and 11 years. Duration: and 1h30.

The Grande Saline is open every day (except 25 December and 1 January).
Opening times and guided tours available at www.grande-saline.com

Groups (+20 people) welcome all year round, by reservation at least 6 weeks in advance.