Blaye-les-Mines (; oc, Blaia) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Tarn department and Occitanie

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

of southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. The settlement grew up around the home of

Gabriel de Solages Gabriel de Solages (19 August 1711 – 28 July 1799) was a French soldier and industrialist. After serving in Italy, Germany and Bohemia he began exploiting coal mines on the family property near Carmaux in the Tarn (department), Tarn department of ...

(1711–1799), who founded the

Compagnie minière de Carmaux The Compagnie minière de Carmaux (Carmaux Mining Company), or Société des mines de Carmaux, was one of the first coal mining companies in France. It was founded in 1752 in the isolated Carmaux basin. The company was at first slow to expand and m ...

and a glassworks at his château at Blaye.

Population

See also