100-499K visitors 360°Park Topper Viewpoint UNESCO

Mine base 11/19 - Terrils 74/74a/74b (Loos-en-Gohelle, France)

May 15, 20253422 Views Pas-de-Calais 5 min read

The entire coal mining basin was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Industrial heritage. Old terril areas were transformed into natural parks. This is also the case with mining base 11/19 with its famous twin terrils 74 and 74a. A terril is a coal mountain. These terrils are the highest in Europe!

Drive up via the Rue du Bourgogne in Loos-en-Gohelle. There is a parking lot there from which a small road runs already over a "passerelle" (viaduct) over the highway along which the terrils are located.

You can climb terril 74 relatively easily (187 meters above sea level, a good 140 meters above the Franco-Flemish plain). Only the last 30 meters to the top can be dangerous (especially the descent!). For the rest, the terril and the park are easy to hike. From terril 74 you have an incredible view of the other terrils, Louvre Lens, Vimy, and so on. An absolute must. Count at least two hours to visit this park. Halfway, you also come to a plateau, this is terril 74b. From there you also have a very nice view of the line of hills from the Kemmelberg (38km as the crow flies) to the Kasselberg.

There can be quite a bit of wind on the terrils. Best to bring a pull or so. Also bring water, there is nothing to get on the way. Don't take unnecessary risks.

LOOS-EN-GOHELLE France

This site receives about 140,000 visitors a year.
Indication of the location on the tourist map of Top.Flanders.
Indication of the location on Google Maps.
Info about the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Coal Basin in Wikipedia.
Info about the mining basin as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Tip 1: You can easily combine this outing with a visit to the Canadian Memorial in Vimy or the belfry of Arras example.

Tip 2: If you want to know much more about the miners' life and work, you can visit the "Centre Historique Minier"in Lewarde (just south of Douai). It is the most important mining museum in France and receives as many as 150,000 visitors a year.

Tip #3: Did you know that you can go againstword in the "Cité des Electriciens," known from the 2007 film "Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis," can now rent a former miner's cottage as a vacation home ? They are located in Bruay-La-Buissière (Google Maps). See https://citede selectriciens.fr/fr/les-gites/chez-jean-baptiste . General info about the site can be found on the Pas-de-Calais Tourisme web site.