Aven d'Orgnac

About this place

The Aven d'Orgnac is a cave south of the limestone plateau of the Ardèche gorges, in the commune of Orgnac-l'Aven, Ardèche, southern France, about 10 km south of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc in a straight line and 2.3 km northwest of the village. The cave is remarkable for the huge volume of its chambers and its varied formations, was developed for tourism and is now classified a Grand Site de France. On 19 August 1935 villagers led five cavers to the shaft they called the Bertras sinkhole; they descended and explored it as far as the Red Rooms in a 10-hour expedition. Nearby lies the Orgnac III archaeological site, one of the oldest known sites for a particular stone-tool technique. The vast chambers are filled with huge stalagmites rising like columns and petrified trees, stalactites hang from the ceilings, and lighting picks out the formations in gold and brown, throwing their shadows on the walls. Visitors look tiny against the scale of the halls. Visitors descend into the chambers by stairs and walkways, and it is cool inside, so bring a jacket. The site also has the Cité de la Préhistoire, a museum about ancient life in the area.