On holiday in Thionville? Come and visit Blast Furnace Park, a symbolic monument of the region!
To visit Blast Furnace Park is to discover a cultural and artistic place. Cultural because it perfectly represents the French industrial heritage. Creative, thanks to the contemporary work of art by Claude Lévèque. The park is mainly focused on street and circus arts.
It is a real place of inspiration for artists who make you discover their talents in this exceptional place.
Classified as a Historic Monument, the Blast Furnace Park dominates the Thionvillois country. A visit is thus essential since it is a local must. Travelvibe has prepared a guide to ease your visit.
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Visit the Blast Furnace Park: Tickets, Prices, Schedules
History of the Blast Furnace Park
The story begins in 1890 with the creation of the Uckange factory with four blast furnaces. The Stumm brothers, German industrialists, decided to set up their business there. Faced with high productivity, two more blast furnaces were built in 1904. The development of the Uckange plant continued to reach its peak in the 1960s and 1980s.
At that time, the blast furnaces represented the symbol of the economic boom of the eastern region of France.
From the 1980s, industrial development slowed down in the country. Thus, the Uckange plant had to close its doors in 1991.
As soon as it closed, the Mécilor association took the initiative to preserve this heritage. It is one of the few steel monuments of the twentieth century still in good condition.
Ten years later, the Ministry of Culture listed the former factory as one of France’s historical monuments.
In 2005, the Val de Fensch agglomeration community acquired the park. After two years of work, the site opens its doors to the general public by presenting the work Tous les soleils by Claude Lévèque
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Our tips for visiting the Blast Furnace Park
Visiting the Blast Furnace Park means discovering an old factory transformed into an artistic place. As such, here is some information to know:
● Animals and bicycles are not allowed in the park;
● Events are regularly scheduled here. Such as concerts, sensory visits, plant observations, etc. Go directly to the Blast Furnace Park website to find out more and not miss anything.
What to do during your visit to Blast Furnace Park?
Evolution4
Evolu4 is a project to show you the evolution of brownfield sites. The buildings have been transformed for new uses.
The project leaders had to face several problems to the constraints inherent in the industrial world. Such as pollution or the congestion of the basements. The old factory has become a park full of life with an iron will. The soils have turned into gardens, the wastelands into places of habitation.
The Evolu4 project is divided into four divisions:
● Economical: these are all support services. Such as catering, administrative services, meeting rooms, etc.;
● Housing: it is a question of reweaving the link between the surrounding districts and the site;
● Heritage, science, and garden: gardens have been created around the industrial theme. It explains the processes aimed at enhancing polluted soils. But other gardens host artistic interventions;
● Cultural: here, the circus arts occupy a primordial place.
During your visit to the blast furnaces, you will be impressed by the park’s evolution.
The Garden of Traces
Stroll through the gardens of traces and discover Lorraine’s industrial past.
The steel world is presented in three different aspects, divided into three sets:
● The garden of alchemy: four large cylinders offer you all the elements necessary for the elaboration of the cast iron;
● The steelmakers’ garden pays tribute to the factory’s workers. You will see five bins representing the landscapes of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the Maghreb;
● And the garden of energies: the steel industry is a significant power consumer. The new park wanted to focus on renewable energies, symbols of our future.
All suns
Tous les soleils is a work by Claude Lévèque. It was the subject of a public commission by the Val De Fensch agglomeration community. The aim was to allow the site’s reopening through the lighting of the blast furnaces.
This contemporary artwork questions every visitor’s imagination of the park. Several pathway gateways make it possible to apprehend the site differently, day and night. During the day, you will discover the factory’s history and the men who worked there. At night, a play of light presents an authentic tribute to the steel industry and its workers. Use the observation binoculars to discover all the installation elements.
With this work, the Uckange factoitely a symbol of French industrial heritage. But remaining firmly anchored in the present and modernity.
Activities for children
To introduce the youngest to France’s industrial past, several activities have been planned:
● The lost treasure of the blast furnace: a treasure hunt that invites children aged 6 and over to discover the world of the steel industry;
● The little explorer: from the age of 4, children must unravel the mystery of the blast furnace;
● The free visit: a visit booklet is given to the youngest to help them understand the factory’s history.
How much does a ticket to Blast Furnace Park cost?
● The ticket for Blast Furnace Park is 3€. An annual ticket is available for 12€ ;
● Children from 12 to 17€ have a discount with an entrance fee of 2€. Under 12 years old, admission is free ;
● If you want to visit Blast Furnace Park with an audio guide, you will need to provide a supplement of 2 €.
How do I book a ticket for Blast Furnace Park online?
Booking online is very simple. Simply go to the site and say your details (surname, first name, telephone number, email).
Then, the site asks you some questions to facilitate the visit:
● What kind of visit would you like to do? Guided in French or German, birthday, unusual, U4 live?
● What is the number of adults? The number of children?
Are there guided tours of the Blast Furnace Park?
There are guided tours whose schedules vary according to the time of year:
● From 1 April to 1 November: only on weekends and public holidays between 14:15 and 16:30 ;
● From June 15 to August 31: night visit at 9 pm ;
● And from July 9 to August 27: Tuesdays at 3 p.m.
Are there combined tours with other monuments of Thionville?
There is no combined visit with other monuments of the Pays Thionvillois.
Opening hours
Self-guided visits are possible from April 1st to November 1st.
Schedules vary according to the season:
From April 1 to June 14 and from September 1 to November 1:
● Tuesday and Friday: from 10 am to 6.30 pm;
● Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 2 pm to 6.30 pm.
From June 15 to August 31:
● Tuesday and Friday: from 10am to 7 pm;
● Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday: from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. ;
● Saturday: from 2 pm to midnight.
The night tours take you to discover the work of Claude Lévèque. These are possible every Saturday from 7pm to midnight.
How do I get to Blast Furnace Park?
Located in Uckange, you can access the park in different ways:
● By car: take the A30 and exit at Uckange;
● By train: the Uckange stop is just 600 meters from the entrance;
● With the bus: from Thionville, two buses allow you to access the park. Citéline, line 18, getting off at the stop rue du bac / TIM, line 49, getting off at the Ouchange stop.
Where to park near Blast Furnace Park?
Free parking is available to park a few meters from the park entrance.
Where to stay near Blast Furnace Park?
To be as close as possible to the park, live directly in Uckange, part of the Thionvillois country. If you want more entertainment, Thionville is the perfect place. Thanks to a heritage plan, you will discover all the city’s tourist sites.
The Moselle, Napoleon Park, and Wilson Park banks located in the German quarters are an excellent mix of architecture and nature. You can also visit the Château de la Grange, which introduces you to the region’s history.
From now on, visiting Blast Furnace Park is child’s play. All that remains is to enjoy the place. Enjoy your visit!
