Former Potash Mine - Carreau Rodolphe

The Carreau Rodolphe, currently temporarily closed for renovations, represents a major chapter in Alsace's industrial history.

It all began in 1904 with the discovery of a rich potash deposit by Amélie and Albert Zürcher, Joseph Vogt, and Jean-Baptiste Grisez. This discovery marked the start of a mining saga spanning several decades, with up to 11 active mining sites before their successive closures.

Thanks to the vigilance of volunteers from the Groupe Rodolphe association and early foresight, the Écomusée d’Alsace was able to preserve the Rodolphe mine shaft, the largest site operated by the Mines de Kali Sainte-Thérèse company from 1911.

Mining activity ended there in 1976, leaving behind an exceptional heritage, largely intact and restored.

For over 25 years, the Groupe Rodolphe association, the living memory of these places, has worked to maintain and promote the site, transforming it into the Historical Potash Mining Center. Guided tours, led by former miners, offer an immersive dive into the world of potash. Visitors can discover reconstructed production sites, two headframes, and two extraction machines from 1912 and 1928, restored and still operational. The route also highlights surface facilities dedicated to ore processing, as well as a unique collection in France of mining machines covering the period from the 1950s to 2004.