The inhabitants of Liège like to claim that the first ever coal mining on the continent began in their town. Even when this has never been definitely proved, we know that the people on the River Maas were digging up "black earth" as early as 1125. It was ideal for domestic fires: and also for a huge number of trades like lime burning, making glass, brewing, soap boiling, baking and of course forging. Coal was the reason behind Liège´s reputation as the "iron forge of Europe". Mining in the Liège region was industrialised as early as the first few years of the 19th century.

But even the best collieries become uneconomic at some time or other. This fate befell the mines in Liège in the 1950s. The gates of the last colliery in the region, the "Argenteau-Trembleur" closed in 1980. That said, the colliery could look back on a history of almost 500 years of mining. As early as the 16th century monks from the Val-Dieu monastery had begun mining near the village of Blegny. And as late as 1970 ca. 680 miners were still at work excavating a total of 232,000 tons of coal.

Now, more than 20 years after the pit was closed, people equipped in working gear and helmets are riding below ground in the mining cage, although none of them has to sweat it out digging away at the "black gold". The idea behind the visitors´ mine is that people have to go underground to fully realise what it was all about. Most of the colliery has been retained in its original state; and quite recently, the coal sorting and coal washing plant were opened. to visitors. Guests can experience for themselves at close hand the special atmosphere down in the galleries, and the threadbare working lives of the colliers, the so-called " gueules noires" (black mouths). But at first, visitors are introduced to the fascinating 300,000,000 year old history of coal by means of a commentated slide show. Those who prefer not to go underground can take a tour through the mining museum and experience eight centuries of mining with the help of state-of-the-art museum techniques and some extraordinary lighting effects.

Families with children can find a large number of attractions in Blegny, like playgrounds and a mini zoo. They also have the opportunity to explore the immediate locality on a mini-train or take a pleasure boat to Liège.