[Sandy]

The mining past of the St Etienne area can even been seen on its roundabouts.

Going back to work after 2 weeks vacation, I finally realized that the roundabouts I use 4 times a day, may present some interest for this thread:

Just before the small town of Sorbiers:









Another one on the road to Sorbiers:





Talking about these with friends, I've learned that the best one is situated near La Ricamarie, an arrondissement of St Etienne and a mecca of the french minors struggle for improving their life and work conditions near 1870, some events have been a source of inspiration for Émile Zola's novel Germinal.











This coal mine shaft is the real one, at the same place, they just built around roads.

To see the Google maps view: http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=45.4038...02832&t=h&z=19

This road leads to Firminy, where there's the highest concentration in the world of Le Corbusier buildings.