A fresco representing a prisoner, referring to the use of the Loyasse bunker as a prison during the Second World War.

Cathedral Saint-Etienne de Bourges has been built from the year 1195. Its construction lasted almost a century.

We do not know the name of the architects of the cathedral. The Gothic cathedral is original and innovative.
It was classified a historical monument in 1862. The cathedral is also on the list of World Heritage by UNESCO in December 1992.

The underground chapel of the quarry of Chauffours, carved into the wall, to honor the fallen soldiers during the First World War.

Panoramic view on the rooftop of CNIT (Centre of New Industries and Technologies).

CNIT was built in 1958. Its architects are Robert Camelot, Jean de Mailly, Bernard Zehrfuss and Jean Prouvé. In 2010, the building still has the largest range of concrete arch in the world: 218m.

The sky train, the train on air cushion. Bertin The company developed several prototypes of this type of train. The test tracks were built in 1965. The smallest to the Gometz Chatel and the largest near Orleans, over 20 kilometers long.

The concrete track is shaped like an inverted T. The world record speed for a vehicle air-cushion was established March 5, 1974. The record speed is 430 km / h. In June 1974, the company Bertin sign a contract for the construction of a high-speed line between the town of Cergy and business district "La Défense". A few months later, the French government reversed its decision and abandon the project.

The failure of the project has several assumptions:
- The oil crisis of 1973.
- Lobbying by the company National Railways (SNCF) and the metallurgic industry.

The engineer Jean Bertin died December 21, 1975. In 1978, the permanent cessation of testing. The prototypes are still 14 years in the hangar. Then the hangar is the victim of arson. The test track Gometz le Châtel no longer exists. It has been replaced by a tunnel bypass to relieve the downtown traffic jams.

Orleans-Saran line still dominates the fields of the campaign. That would be too expensive to demolish it, especially since it nobody.

source: Wikipedia

The whole cathedral is reinforced by these metal rods. Locally, the buttresses have pillars of sites to prevent movement. Height Gothic heart of 48.5 m world record!

On the top of a small bunker which was used to protect the quarry in the world war 2.

First steps in quarry until his last run, each cataphile notes an improvement in his behavior in the undergrounds. The route passes through several phases where his attitude toward the place, other individuals and especially in relation to itself will evolve.

Step 1: The disease of quarries.

It starts with a proposed descent. Through a friend or media, the neophyte becomes aware of the existence of a city under the city. Torn between the desire for exoticism and fear of the unknown, he went to the rendez-vous. In front of a bar or in front a subway, a diverse group waiting for him. They have all worn and dirty uniforms, each carrying packs of beer in hand, the other monstrous sacks on their shoulders. During the walk to the quarry, the main game is to scare again, both by sadism but also to test it and avoid it falters once inside.

Because everyone knows the strange disease that threatens the neophyte: The disease of quarries. As one who fears seasick when he sets foot on a boat, the apprentice will distressed by the entrance of the cave. Only after twenty meters underground to think he tons of rocks that overlook and threaten. Add to that the narrowness of the galleries, the disorientation and the inability to find the exit in this hellish labyrinth and you get a malaise that will fade with the times. At the exit, greatly relieved to be whole, the beginner will be happy to have survived such an adventure. Most will never return and not deviate from the quarry. Some however will want to repeat the experience and come away with the attack of subterranean depths.

Step 2: Thirst discovery.

Finally, the long-awaited map is formally placed in the hands trembling with emotion of the beginners. The first explorations where the latter takes the responsibility for guiding difficult: The errors and half-turns are frequent. Few were self-taught in this area, learning to move in an underground quarry is not obvious. But the excitement of discovering a new world is huge: There are so many things to see that often runs beyond the required time. At this stage, the cataphile often integrates a group of friends who will evolve. This is the beginning for some the desire to be recognized by his peers.

The construction of Fort Rimplas began in 1928, shortly after Mussolini's claims concerning the district of Nice. The Organising Committee of the Regions Fortress (CORF) without knowledge of military equipment to be integrated into the fort, the work was long and subject to many changes. The 74th Brigade Alpine Fortress takes possession of the premises in 1937, although the work is still not completed. During the Second World War, its use has been anecdotal.

An association founded in early 2008, "Friends of the Work of the Maginot Madeleine," began the rehabilitation work inside and outside and opened the door to work at the Days of Heritage 2009.

source: website of the association(FR)

Quarry of Roussillon. Located in the middle of Provence, ocher quarries of Roussillon have a unique landscape in France. They are called the Colorado Provencal. Ochre of Roussillon is 90% sand and 10% clay and pigments of goethite. Formerly used by humans 15,000 years ago, the ochres are still used in the art world.