On the edge of the Gouffre
Not far from the Moulin du Boisset are a number of remarkable sites, including the Grottes de Lacave, the Grottes Carbonières, the Grotte des Merveilles, the Gouffre de la Fage and, of course, the best-known of them all, the Gouffre de Padirac, which reopens its doors today, 30 March 2019, for a new season. It's also an anniversary year, as the Gouffre celebrates the 130th anniversary of its discovery by Edouard-Alfred Martel, the founding father of modern geology.
We have visited this geological phenomenon several times: a vertical shaft 75 metres deep and almost 35 metres in diameter, with an underground river running through it at the bottom, at a depth of 103 metres. It was on this river that we boarded our boats to discover the 2 kilometres of galleries, open to the public, and the rooms with their many concretions: stalactites, stalagmites, draperies... It's worth noting that to date, cavers have explored a total of 42 kilometres of galleries on the site. On each of our visits, the magic was omnipresent and the feeling of being in another universe, filled with the sounds of water, the coolness (13°c) and the lighting judiciously positioned to bring out the beauty of the place, invaded our minds. The boatmen who accompany you along the way show you all the treasures of this unusual and marvellous place. In short, it's an experience you should have at least once in your life (and if possible, you should avoid the summer crowds of around 8,000 people a day).
