Classification : Great Site of France
Managing Organization : Municipality of the Orgnac-l’Aven
Presentation :
The Aven D’Orgnac cave, the only cavity labeled “Grand Site de France”, is one of the most visited and studied underground sites in France. Giant palm trees, stacks of plates, organ case, columns and ochre drapery abound under ceilings up to 55 meters high.
Explored for the first time in 1935 by speleologist Robert de Joly, it was opened a few years later to the general public.
The Aven d’Orgnac commonly designates the converted part of the cave : three rooms with imposing volumes. These rooms are part of a network with speleological development of almost 5 km long.
Multi-faceted site, speleological outings are organized there all year round. These networks have recorded regional geological events, such as the Messinian salinity crisis and the Rhône Ria Mio-Pliocene.
The two major characteristics of Orgnac l’Aven lie in :
- The mode of formation of the network : paragenetic and gravitational collapses of the vaults of the Joly Room having led to the digging of one of the largest rooms in Europe ;
- The profusion of concretions whose morphologies and dimensions make Aven d’Orgnac one of the major study sites for the study of paleoclimatology.
Scientific or educational interests :
Bio-corrosion, paleoclimatology, aerology, climatology
Thematic key words : archeology, biology, botany, cartography, climatology, conservation of collections, ecology, entomology, sedimentary geology, geomorphology, (pre) -history, hydrogeology, hydrology, impact on tourist numbers, karstology, meteorology, wine tourism, paleoclimatology, paleontology , 3D scanning topology.
Keywords typology of sites : natural instrumented cave, fitted out cave, karrens, archaeological site, mediation space.
Access conditions :
Access by an artificial tunnel of 220 steps to the first room. Descent to the 3rd room by 500 additional stairs. Rise to the surface by elevator.
Access by natural entrance by abseiling down a 45-meter well.
Possible support : compulsory