Les Falandes and the Pays à Part Slag Heaps

This site comprises a total of seven slag heaps (three conical and four flat), connected by a rail track (known as a cavalier) ending on the slag heaps of the "Pays à Part”:

 
The twin slag heaps of the Pays à Part: grandiose in size (the heaps reach a height of about 180 metres) and in the views that they offer over the landscapes of Artois and the Chaîne des Terrils range of slag heaps, here you can observe valleys, woodlands, wetlands, pools and thermophilic grasslands. The diversity of its environments truly make it a country of its own, hence the name of "Pays à Part". Composed of two conical heaps, four slurry ponds and the pit entrance, the site covers nearly one hundred hectares. Its landscaped trails will allow you to discover the different faces of this site throughout the seasons. In spring, the slopes of the slag heap are covered with coronilla flowers and yellow-horned poppy, to the delight of hikers.

Slag heap 9, a conical slag heap on which vines have recently been planted, has the unique particularity of being in combustion. This is why we can see smoke escaping from its peak, completely stripped of vegetation.

The other heaps are so-called "flat" heaps, much more discreet – but just as surprising in terms of landscape. These are basically large shale grasslands, dotted with hawthorn, plum and birch. These habitats are home to a large number of animal and plant species, and are particularly attractive to birds during the migration period.


More informations : http://eden62.fr/terrils-du-pays-a-part/