This was used to go down the mines and to extract coal. 

In the North of France - where we live - we extracted a lot of coal at the beginning of the 20th century. 

The picture was taken in Valenciennes. 

               4G3
(Flavie, Léa C., Laetitia, Jean-Baptiste, Manon H, Léanne, Marie, Léa J., Clara, Thibaud, Lucas, Tanguy, Kévin, Chloé).