Speleo Rando de la Tanne du Neve

Useful Information

Location:	Aillons-Margeriaz 1400, 73340, Aillon-le-Jeune. From Aillon-le-Jeune follow D59 north for 2 km, turn left to skiing area Margériaz Location Ekosport. At the third U-turn right ("Place à Baban") follow gravel road straight ahead signed "Sentier des Tannes et Glacières". After 550 m parking lot for karst trail. (45.633920, 6.059250)
Open:	MAY to NOV no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	La Spéléorando, Aillons-Margeriaz 1400, 73340, Aillon-le-Jeune, Tel: +33-479-54-63-65.
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

Description

Speleo Rando de la Tanne du Neve (La Tanne du Neve Cave Trail) is not a karst trail, as the name would suggest. It is a sort of semi-show cave, developed with trails and ladders but without light, that's a trail through a cave. Tanne is the local word for pothole, and it is not French, it's the local Savoien dialect. The cave is named Tanne du Neve, and it is located on the eastern slopes of Mont Margériaz above the village Aillon-le-Jeune. The slowly descending main passage has two potholes to the surface, and it is entered on a ladder down one of them.

As it is one stop on the Tannes et glacières du Margériaz (Tannes and ice caves of the Margériaz) karst trail it is necessary to walk on the trail to reach the cave. There is no restriction to the path, but it's difficult to walk if there is snow, so it is realistically open only if there is no snow. The access to the cave is also not restricted, but during winter it is forbidden by EU law, to protect the bats. Also, it's quite hard to get there when there is snow on the trail.