At the extreme south of the department of Ardèche, the Aven d 'Orgnac occupies a limestone plateau along the Ardèche gorge. In the heart of the wild garrigue and green oak cups, you discover not only a cave: Aven d 'Orgnac, but also a museum: the City of Prehistory. A trip to the geological scale, in crystalline depths and in Prehistory.

 

Formed as an enclave in the department of Gard, Orgnac-l 'Aven is located at the southern end of the department. This municipality sees its population multiplied by ten during the summer season. It has to be said that the site of the Aven is classified as France's Grand Site and that the visit of the cave is one of the region's essential! And to discover the belly of the earth in a less informative but more sporty way we will turn to the Spelt Tours. In premium, Orgnac houses one of the most important co-operative cellars in Ardèche, which includes an AOC.

An exceptional space for discovering the underground environment

It is therefore an isolated and wild site that is discovered under green oak trees. A small winding road in the forest leads to the village of Orgnac-l 'Aven, 600 inhabitants and then, in 2 km, to the Aven d' Orgnac, in the forest. In the other direction, the nearest village is 8 km away: Barjac (Gard), 1,500 inhabitants. The route is unattended - except in the middle of the summer where tourists are lying on the parallel roads to connect the gorges of the Ardèche, Vallon-Pont-d 'Arc or other caves in the vicinity.

If you like concretions, stalactites and stalagmites that drowned, subterranean lakes lit and crystals shining, then you are in the right place. Because the department is known for its gorges but also its caves and its avens (wells). 100 million years ago, the Ardèche was made up of deep seabed from where an island emerged: The Massif Central. Then tens of millions of years later, in the quaternary, i. e. less than 2 million years ago, the waters infiltrated underground cavities. Today the natural site of the Gorges de l 'Ardèche is, in Europe, one of the richest in the number and diversity of caves and avens it hosts. Today, seven of these natural wonders have been designed for an approach and tourist discovery. Each with its distinctive features, specific formations, colors and different highlights, invites you to explore an enchanting underground world. The most famous is the Aven d 'Orgnac. Classified as a Grand Site of France®, among the largest cavities in the world, Aven d 'Orgnac is an exceptional space for discovering and conserving the underground environment.

A History of Prehistory

At the edge of aven, you will also visit the new City of Prehistory. On the margins of caves and with a bundle, this museum offers you a face-to-face with our Ardechois ancestors. From the Middle Paleolithic to the first Iron Age (-350 000 to -500 years), the route allows to share the daily life of societies of prehistory, their environment and their lifestyles, through, inter alia, workshops of demonstrations proposed by archeologists and the presence of reconstituted animals. tactile tables to several players to try to find prehistoric puzzles and archeological research techniques, multimedia terminals and videos allow, as well as a resolutely modern approach, that disrupts our vision of archeology. In summer, outside the workshops are offered in the shadow of green oak to find the gestures of our ancestors: lighting fire, cutting a flint, shooting with a saga, starting with rock painting… Finally, you can also follow an educational trail in the forest. To note, the possibility of picnic on site and to offer an entire day on this site to discover with the family. A visit that can be complemented by the discovery of the museum of the underground world and by that of a prehistoric open-pit zoo, the Dinos Forest!

Cave, caves caves

Other smaller cavities, but which delight lovers of underground world, are visible a few kilometers from the round: Forest aven, a classified site and a natural jewel. A few kilometers from the aven of Orgnac, in the direction of Vallon-Pont-d 'Arc, forest aven is available in… 53 steps. The cave forest cave is a very recent cave. Indeed, his discovery dates from just 50 years ago. It is part of one of the largest French cavity networks, the Orgnac network. The visit has no difficulty and is accessible to all audiences. Inside, the underground world looks like the sea floor, with a coral-shaped concrete. A cavernicole zoo will also allow you to observe the underground fauna. An astonishing world that mainly allows to see life under the earth with a different eye. Once the visit has been completed, you can also enjoy the landscape with a rich garrigue.

Second visit, the Madeleine cave, located on the tourist route of the Gorges de l 'Ardèche, 20 km from Vallon-Pont-d' Arc. The Madeleine cave has 25 rooms. Featuring a sound and light, it offers a whole panel of colors and concretions. Discovered in 1887, its entrance overlooks a wall of 170 meters on the gorges of the Ardèche. The visit, 1 kilometer long, lasts an hour and begins with the entrance of another cavity, the Lescure cave. A highlight of the course, a show sound and light showcasing the draperies hanging from the walls of the cave. The aim is to make the uninitiated public understand the influence of water, but also other elements, on the construction of caves. Also an exhibition of santons representing five scenes of work of yesteryear in the gorges of the Ardèche. Outside, the house of the nature reserve introduces you to ecological problems and a trail leads to a reconstituted bergery.

A very informative visit, such as that of St-Marcel-d 'Ardèche or the prehistoric caves of Let. On the edge of the Rhône, this ancient Gauloise capital is a great place of prehistory and one of the European key sites for studying the man of Neanderthal through its archeological site. You will discover the excavations of La Brégoule, which become a museum living and protected in part by a 460 square meter building, the archeological museum and the prehistoric and concrete caves. In short, once again rendez-vous with 150,000 years of history for the great happiness of the whole family.

 

Smart News

 

When is it? The full season in July-August is crowded. Prefer mid-season in May-June and September-October.

 

Go there. 15 km from Vallon-Pont-d 'Arc and 8 km from Barjac (Gard). From Paris, take the A 6. By train or by plane, direction Nîmes-Alès or Avignon.

VOYAGES SNCF - More information on the site

http://www.voyages-sncf.com http://www.voyages-sncf.com

Find your flight at the best price - Compare

Rent your car at the best price - Compare

 

Useful. To prepare his getaway best.

OFFICIAL SITE OF AVEN D 'ORGNAC - More information on the site

Book your hotel at the best conditions - Compare

Find cultural or sporting activity - Find