Domaine de la Morepire

Bertrix is a community in the Belgian Ardennes notable for its large number of slate-faced buildings. Au Coeur de l’Ardoise is a museum concerned with the heritage of the slate industry in the region. Visitors can go on a 75-minute audio-guided tour that takes them 25 m below ground. They are able to see spectacularly high chambers from which slate has been extracted, to learn something of the methods used to mine slate, and to understand the working conditions of the ‘scailtons’, the slate miners. On the surface there are displays illustrating the geology of the area and the history of the mines. Gourmet meals are served in one of the largest underground chambers every Sunday, and slate artefacts are available in the museum shop.

Au Coeur de l’Ardoise is linked through the organisation Le Réseau Ardoise d’Ardenne and the trail guide La Route d’Ardoise with similar slate museums at Alle-sur-Semois in Belgium, Rimogne in France and Haut-Martelange in Luxembourg.