Three companies that share their know-how with the general public

The Talcaneô talc quarry (Ariège)

Welcome to the largest open-air talc quarry in the world, the only one operating in France! In Trimouns (Ariège), drilling machines extract this white gold, near the 5.5 km long cable car which transports the ore into the valley, thus avoiding constant return trips of trucks. A spectacular setting open to the public in Talcaneô to unlock the secrets of the softest and softest rock on our planet.

The visit takes place on the extraction site, at an altitude of 1,700 m, accessible via a coach shuttle, then in Luzenac, 1,100 m lower, where a museum space offers a circuit that is both fun and immersive. . Since its opening last July, more than 8,000 visitors have discovered the use of talc: from ceramics to cosmetics, including paper.

From 5 years.
Rens. : 05 61 05 10 10.

The central dam of Génissiat (Ain and Haute-Savoie)

Described as the “French Niagara” when it was inaugurated in 1948 by Vincent Auriol, the Génissiat dam stands on the Rhône, in the heart of a natural setting. It supplies 700,000 homes with electricity using water. The riches of this 100% renewable energy can be explored by following the journey of a drop: from its source, in Switzerland, to the bowels of the dam, via an immersive film broadcast at the start of the visit, before diving into the history of the site, then let yourself be guided between the immense turbines and alternators of the control room. Bring flat, closed shoes for the visit.

From the age of 8.
Contact: 04 26 10 63 21.

The Grand Maritime Port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique)

It accommodates 3,000 ships, 1,000 freight trains per year and extends over 2,700 hectares along the Loire estuary: the Grand Maritime Port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire is also open to guided bus tours . The opportunity to discover its gigantic installations where cereals, manufactured products, wind turbine blades, aeronautical parts pass through… Just a stone’s throw away, another place has built an international reputation: the shipyards from which legendary liners came, such as France where the Normandy . These sites are included in the program of the 8th Regional Company Visit Days in Pays de la Loire on October 26, 27 and 28.

From 4 years old.
Rens: 02 28 54 06 40.