Grotte des Carbonnières

Prehisto Dino Park

Useful Information

Location:	Lacave. Between Souillac and Rocamadour, 5 minutes from Rocamadour. (44.8305, 1.566734)
Open:	JUL to AUG daily 9-18:30, tours at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:15, 16, 16:45, 17:30, 18:15. SEP to 04-NOV daily 10-18:30. [2018]
Fee:	Adults EUR 8.90, Children (5-13) EUR 4.50, Children (0-4) free, Student EUR 7.90. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 7.50, Children (5-15) EUR 3.50, Student EUR 6.50. Combo ticket with the Prehisto Dino Park available. [2018]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	LED Lighting Son et Lumière
Dimension:	T=14 °C, L=300 m.,
Guided tours:	D=45 min, L=700 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:	wheelchair accessible, no steps, only a few ramps
Bibliography:
Address:	Grotte des Carbonnières, Route de Rocamadour D247, 46200 Lacave, Tel: +33-565-322828. E-mail: Prehisto Dino Park, Sole des Boulangers, D247, 46200 Lacave, Tel: +33-565-322828. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

01-JUL-2018

opened to the public.

Description

The Grotte des Carbonnières is currently the newest show cave in France, opened to the public on 01-JUL-2018. It is located at the Prehisto Dino Park south of Lacave, in the area of the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy. The owner of the park, Jean-Max Touron was informed that there was a cave opening on his premises. It was a foxhole, which lead into the cave, but was extremely narrow. The first explorers widened this foxhole and entered the cave. They found a 300 m long cave with six big chambers.

Jean-Max Touron, being a good entrepreneur saw the possibilities of the cave and developed it as a show cave. The trail was constructed to harm the cave as little as possible. The cave is equipped with modern light and has a colourful light show with classical music, which seems to be a mandatory feature of French show cves. But what makes the cave really special is the fact that it is wheelchair accessible. The trail has a few ramps but no steps and is always wide enough.

The cave itself is more or less average. We have only seen the pictures and the videos so far, but what they show are standard stalactites and stalagmites, a few small helictites, a single cave pearl, and quite small and enigmatic prehistoric charcoal paintings. Compared to the other quite fantastic caves of the area, this seems a little strange, and we are not sure why it was actually developed. It's probably the combination with the animatronic dinosaurs, and the fact that the other caves are quite crowded during summer and on weekends. Time will show if it will hold its ground against nearby Padirac and Lacave caves.