Padirac Caves Travel Guide
Travel to Padirac Caves - Spectacular Underground Formations
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The Gouffre de Padirac (Padirac Caves), located in the department of Lot approximately 20km from Rocamadour, is an enormous limestone sinkhole about 100m deep and over 100m wide, containing spectacular formations of stalactites. The cave system is made up of more than 40km of galleries, but only 2km have been opened to the public, which can be explored on foot and by boat.
The cave was first discovered in 1889 by Édouard-Alfred Martel and was officially opened for visitors on April 10th, 1899 by Georges Leygues, the 87th President of France. In 1938 Guy de Lavaur managed to penetrate 15 km of the passages and since the 1930's visitors have been able to access the underground cave system by descending 75m by lift or stairs, and then exploring the cave system on foot and by boat.
Attractions in Padirac Caves
Interesting features include rock formations, numerous stalagmites and stalactites, waterfalls and underground lakes. One stalactite is almost three hundred meters high and took several million years to form.
Activities in Padirac Caves
A tour of the caves takes one and a half hours beginning with a 75m descent followed by a short boat trip and a walking tour past beautiful and fascinating limestone formations, pools, caverns, stalactites and waterfalls.
Relaxing
Why not combine your visit to the caves with a visit to the nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy.
Getting Around
If you have no car, the nearest SNCF train station is Rocamadour-Padirac, 10km away.
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