The Meuse/Haute Marne Facility (CMHM)
Located in eastern France, Andra’s Meuse/Haute Marne Facility (CMHM) is one of Andra’s major sites. Its mission is to support the development of Cigéo, France's deep geological disposal project for high-level and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste (HLW and ILLW-LL), and to prepare for its future implementation in close cooperation with local communities and stakeholders.
A facility created to support France’s long-term radioactive waste management strategy.
In 1991, the Bataille Act established Andra as an independent public agency responsible for the long-term management of radioactive waste in France. The Act also defined three research pathways for the management of HLW and ILLW-LL: partitioning and transmutation, long-term storage, and deep geological disposal.
Following the Act, Andra conducted geological investigations in several volunteer French departments to identify suitable locations for an underground research laboratory. In 1998, the Meuse and Haute-Marne departments were selected following the site evaluation process, leading to the establishment of the Meuse/Haute-Marne Centre (CMHM).
Over the years, the site expanded to support Andra's research, environmental monitoring and public information activities. It now includes the Underground Research Laboratory, the Environmental Specimen Bank (Ecothèque), the Technological Exhibition Facility, as well as offices and technical facilities supporting the development of the Cigéo project. Today, approximately 200 Andra employees work at the CMHM.
Three missions at the heart of the CMHM
Supporting the development of the Cigéo project
The CMHM hosts a wide range of scientific and technical activities supporting the development of Cigéo. Research programmes, in situ experiments and technological demonstrations carried out at the site contribute to the understanding of the geological environment and to the design of the future disposal facility.
Established in 2000 and located at a depth of 490 metres, the Underground Research Laboratory is a unique research facility used to study the Callovo-Oxfordian clay formation in which Cigéo is planned to be located. Its underground drifts enable scientists and engineers to conduct experiments under real geological conditions and to test concepts and technologies that may be implemented within Cigéo.
If authorised, Cigéo will be located near the Underground Research Laboratory while remaining a fully independent facility. No radioactive waste is disposed of in the Underground Research Laboratory, nor will any ever be disposed of there.
Preparing for implementation in the region
The CMHM is located in the area where Cigéo is planned to be developed. For more than 25 years, Andra has worked with local stakeholders, elected representatives, associations and residents, maintaining an ongoing dialogue about the project and its development.
Public information, transparency and stakeholder engagement play a central role in the Centre's activities. Through meetings, events, educational initiatives and visitor programmes, Andra provides opportunities for the public to learn about radioactive waste management and the Cigéo project.
The Technological Exhibition Facility plays a key role in this dialogue. Covering 4,000 m², it features a permanent exhibition dedicated to Cigéo, as well as scale models and full-scale prototypes to help visitors understand the project and the technologies being considered for its construction and operation. The facility is open to the public free of charge on weekends and is also available for group visits throughout the week.
Monitoring and understanding the environment
Protecting people and the environment is at the core of Andra's mission. To establish a comprehensive environmental baseline and understand how the environment evolves over time, the Meuse/Haute-Marne Centre operates the Perennial Observatory of the Environment (OPE), a long-term environmental monitoring programme launched in 2007.
The OPE collects data on biodiversity, water resources, air quality, soils and ecosystems across a 900 km² study area surrounding the future Cigéo site. This monitoring programme provides scientists with a detailed understanding of the environment and its natural evolution over time.
The CMHM is also home to the Environmental Specimen Bank (Ecothèque), which preserves thousands of environmental samples collected throughout the study area. These samples constitute a unique scientific archive, allowing future analyses and comparisons over several decades.
Together, the OPE and the Ecothèque provide a long-term record of environmental conditions and changes, as well as scientific data to support the environmental monitoring of the Cigéo project.