Abstract
The aim of this research is to understand better the impact of the traditional charcoal production on the soil. The focus is on the soil micromorphological study of several profiles located under ancient and recent charcoal mounds: the Paimpont forest (Ille-et-Vilaine, France), the Zonien forest (Belgium) and at the Écomusée de Haute-Alsace (Ungersheim, France). The experimental burning of a silt-loamy profile completed this task.The collected data indicate that the impact of charcoal exploitation on the soil micromorphology is not directly due to the combustion effects, but more to operations related to the local deforestation for wood exploitation, the preparation and management of the plots before, during and after the production phase and the domestic activities of the charcoal burners. The micromorphological study also allows tracing the origin of the turves that were used during the construction of the charcoal mound.