Grotto des Demoiselles
The Grotte des Demoiselles is a karst cave in the municipality of the small French town of Saint-Bauzille-de-Putois in the Hérault department .
geography
The entrance to the cave is on the Plateau de Thaurac in the area of the southern Cevennes , a mountain region in the south of France and foothills of the Central Massif . Located near the valley of Montoulieu and the gorges of the Hérault , the cave borders directly on the Cevennes National Park . It is found in rugged rock formations at an altitude of about 300 meters.
The Grotte des Demoiselles is about five kilometers south of Ganges and 38 kilometers north of Montpellier .
description
The natural entrance to the cave system consists of a deep shaft, which is no longer used today. Inside there is a constant temperature of around 14 degrees Celsius.
The Grotte des Demoiselles consists of a network of halls and corridors, which are mainly grouped around a large central open space. This so-called Cathédrale Souterraine extends over a length of 120 meters, a width of 80 meters and a height of 58 meters. Among the countless formations of stalagmites and stalactites in the large hall there is also a stalagmite reminiscent of the figure of a Madonna with the baby Jesus.
In the Cathédrale Souterraine there are always cultural events.
history
The cave was first mentioned in 1770 and subsequently scientifically explored several times.
In the turmoil of war and also during the French Revolution , the cave system served as a place of retreat and hiding place for persecuted people.
In 1926, the construction of the approximately 160 meter long funicular tunnel began , which runs with a maximum gradient of 36 percent to the visitor entrance.
Web links
Coordinates: 43 ° 54'27.9 " N , 3 ° 44'43.6" E