Padirac Cave

The Padirac with stairs and lift

The Chasm of Padirac ( Padirac ) is a cave which lies about 47 kilometers south of Brive- la -Gaillarde in the département of Lot.

The cave system is formed by an underground river, which has over a hundred meters deep on the karstified limestones of the Causses de Gramat and flows into the Dordogne. A high dome-like erosion in river cave collapsed and there was a circular hole with vertical walls, 33 m in diameter and 75 m deep. This shaft was daylight by the locals simply called Chasm, which means abyss.

It is believed that the daylight shaft was already known in the 13th century. He was a popular destination in the 19th century. A first investigation took place from 1865 to 1870; then the base of the pit was reached. In a study of the French cave explorer Edouard Alfred Martel in July 1889 opening was discovered at the foot of the precipice in 75 m depth, which led to a 28 m deep underground river. Today, some 40 km of underground passages of cave explorers are explored.

Links for visitors

The Chasm and about 1 km of the underground cave system are open for tourism. For the descent into the Chasm a steel tower with 455 steps was built. But there are also two lifts available. At the foot of gouffre a ramp over the rubble cone leads to a depth of 103 m from where the visitor is led through the tube washed out of the river. The road eventually ends at the River, from where the visitors are transported in boats 500 m up to 4 m deep river on. After the cave along the river continue to be committed on foot. Features include a 94 -meter-high Salle du Grand Dôme, Salle des Grands Gours with large sinter pools, a 40 m high and 6 m wide stalagmite and a 25 m long, 4 m thick stalactite that touches the surface of the river. About 1.1 km from the entrance ends the opportunity to inspect.