The Wendel one coal mine was located in Petite-Rosselle, in the Lorraine region of eastern France. Construction of the mine began in 1865, and it officially opened in 1868. Wendel 1 was part of a larger mining complex that included Wendel 2 and Wendel 3. Over time, the complex grew to become one of the most important coal mining sites in the region.

After World War II, the mine was nationalized and became part of the Houillères du Bassin de Lorraine, the state company in charge of coal mining in the area. During the 1950s, Wendel 1 underwent modernization, including the installation of a metal headframe and modern electric hoists.

At its peak in the 1960s, the Wendel complex employed around 5,000 miners, with a daily coal production of approximately 10,000 tons.

Mining activity started to decline in the 1980s. In 1986, central operations were shut down, and Wendel 1 was permanently closed in 1989. The other shafts followed: Wendel 2 in 1992 and Wendel 3 in 2001.

After the closure, the former mining site was transformed into a cultural and educational center: Parc Explor Wendel. It now includes the Musée Les Mineurs Wendel and an underground visitor experience called La Mine Wendel. Visitors can explore the history of coal mining and discover what daily life was like for the miners. The site is also part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), a network of significant industrial heritage sites across Europe.