It begins from first step in
the undergrowth, where the coolness is restful in full summer.
The descent is gradual and we can discover it or rediscover
more than 70 sorts of plants. In autumn, this beautiful vegetation,
which takes advantage of the duality of the ground (limestone
and granite) offers a palette of warm colors.
As we come down, the rumour of the river delivered from the
darkness rises, still invisible, but sudden, an Alcôve
appears in all its magnificence, a real monument of the nature.
We go along, then we cross the river by following a horizontal
path. We arrive in what the geologists call "one put off
karstic" and that the poets mention a " End of the
World" that is vast one half-creek in which is born, or
here "is reborn" a source.
The walls of half-creek are absolutely vertical, or very oblique
and high from 70 to 120 metres .
Realm of the erosion, Alcôve is furrowed, tourmented
but also taken on an aura greenery. The indirect sunlight play
with the foam of the wave. One whiteness, where from escapes
some powder of iridescent water, passes by in a gour with the
reflections of emerald.
We follow the guide and enter the cave. We circulate on a
narrow ledge worked to register it the path of the visit. We
cross under a majestic entered one bent in Gothic cathedral
: It is 37 metres high and 10 metres wide on the base.
We overhang the first subterranean waterfall called by the
Waterall of the Scalet, he noise of the waterfall is then deafening
and we have the impression that the rock vibrates.
The visitor circulates pleasantly in right bank, above a narrow
channel where the water sparkles. We arrive in “the Grande
Diaclase”, 130 metres long. The vaults of the gallery
are about 60 metres .
In the term of Diaclase, we arrive at the end of "platform" at
the Room of the Havre where extends a young gour and where
leave two paths with staircases. By continuing by that of left,
we reach in the space where Jean Truel spread his famous pictorial
composition.
By a superior, more almost air ledge, established in right
bank, we overhang the subterranean wave passing by noisily
while jumping two well enlightened waterfalls. To note in walls
and at different heights the narrow entrances of numerous labyrinths.
A bridge appears, fearlessly thrown across the big canyon in
the heart of which walks the River Martel: we embrace some
glance of rocky chaos of the Step of the Devil. Circulating
henceforth in left bank and always thanks to a path in ledge,
we reach the Room of the Rest.
After this considerable aspect, where the river makes an abrupt
elbow, we evolve in a big forced water main, in the term of
which the main price of the Bonheur or underground Bramabiau
is abandoned, to take foot in the picturesque Gallery of the
Vein, and to join a crossroads. It is about an iron vein and
about a barytine. Fleck of a milky white of this mineral abound
on walls.
Farther, the Gallery of the Vein divides, we enter the Big
Labyrinth. Senseof the visit made that we arrive at a crossroads;
to the right is the departure a small very searched labyrinth;
to the left, a very short slope which leads to the Room of
the Star, said the Room of the Officer (called so with regard
to André Chamson's novel). The vault of this room consists
and blocks agglutinated in a compact conglomerate.
At the end of the comment of the guide, we leave to join the
tunnel of the exit, dug and fitted out in 2005 - 2006 and we
shall make a last stop to contemplate imprints of dinosaurs
discovered during the digging of the tunnel.
We here is in the term of the visit, the tourist crossed the
underground one hour and went through one kilometre within
a long cave which holds 11 kilometres of listed subterranean
networks.
|
"Caprice de la nature tel qu'on en
connait pas de semblable."
Edouard-Alfred Martel
Schedules
:
April - May - June
10 H 00 - 17 H 30
July - August 09 H 30 - 18 H 30
September 10 H 00 - 17 H 30
October November (until the last day of the french
hollydays of the Toussaint) 10 H 30 - 16 H 30
Temperature in the cave : 10°C
Animals accepted in the visit
|
