The incredible abandoned European town in the mountains that’s a haven for dark tourism

Nestled in the department of Ariège, in the Occitanie region, lies the Mail de Bulard, nicknamed the ‘Machu Picchu biroussan’.

Situated at an altitude of 2,750 metres, this popular destination for hikers is home to a former mining site where zinc, silver and lead were extracted.

The area was nicknamed due to its mysterious atmosphere and ruins, similar to Machu Picchu. Formerly a mining site, the area hosts a plethora of eerie abandoned buildings, which include canteens and dormitories.

Like its Peruvian counterpart, the Mail de Bulard is not easy to reach.

Due to the summit’s extreme conditions, those who set out to climb it need to be in excellent physical health and well-prepared.

The hike starts from the Bocard d’Eylie car park, where visitors will set off to discover the magnificent panoramas of the Pyrenees along the way.

However, experienced hikers have warned of the last few meters being in a position so dangerous it has been nicknamed ‘the man-eater’ due to the number of fatal falls. 

The mining jewel, once home to a vein of lead and zinc, a grade of which was rarely seen in mining, was discovered in 1890 on the northeastern side of the slope. It ran at an altitude of 2,500m, yet access to it was nearly impossible.

A path of more than 700m cut through the cliff to reach it in 1901, with 150 miners working there each year throughout the summer months. 

Between 1901 and 1919, more than 60,000 tonnes of alluvial deposits were extracted from the mountain.

However, the conditions for the miners were so appalling that three fell down the path, six were injured by explosives, and others contracted deadly illnesses. This led to the closure of the mine, with many saying it should not have existed in the first place.