A French Coal Town's Remarkable Transformation Into a Sustainability Model
Once synonymous with mining, Loos-en-Gohelle in northern France has become a model for how to sustainably transition away from fossil fuels through citizen participation.
CommunityGNGV Editorial Team6 min readLast reviewed September 28, 2026
When the coal mines closed in Loos-en-Gohelle in the 1980s, it created not just an economic crisis but an identity crisis. "People said to themselves: 'What is our use now?'" recalls a town official.
Rather than erase their mining heritage, the town embraced it while putting citizens at the heart of an ambitious green transformation. By 2021, enough solar panels had been installed on municipal buildings to power 90% of public energy needs.
The old slag heaps became a nature reserve and paragliding site. A "50/50" program lets residents propose community projects and receive support from the municipality. The inclusive approach has earned the mayor massive support — re-elected repeatedly with up to 82% of the vote.
