Gouffre Géant de Cabrespine

Giant Hole of Cabrespine

Useful Information

Location:	Cabrespine, Aude département (11). 17 km NE of Carcassonne. From Carcassonne follow D620 to Villeneuve-Minervois, then north to the cave. (43°21'50.53"N, 2°27'35.08"E)
Open:	MAR daily 14-17:30. APR-JUN daily 10-12, 14-18. JUL-AUG daily 10-19. SEP-OCT daily 10-12, 14-18. NOV daily 14-17:30. All year round for groups. [2003]
Fee:	Adults EUR 7, Children (6-14) EUR 3.50. Groups: Adults EUR 5, Children (15-18) EUR 3.50, Children (6-14) EUR 2.50. [2003]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=16,058 m, VR=255 m, A=424 m asl, T=15 °C.
Guided tours:	D=45 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Gouffre Géant de Cabrespine, B.P. n° 2, 11160 Cabrespine, France, Tel: +33-468-261422, Fax: +33-468-261075. Safari Souterrain, BP 121, 34003 Montpellier Cedex, Reservations Tel: +33-467-661111, Fax: +33-467-662727. 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

1970	discovered.
1988	opened to the public.

Description

This cave tour shows only a single huge cavern, 80 m long and 220 m high, which is as high as the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The tour enters this chamber high on one side, allowing the visitor to look down into forests of huge stalagmites.

Apart from guided tours an extended tour off the normal tourist section is also available. It lasts for 5 hours and takes place throughout the year. The five hour trips have to be booked in advance, 6 persons are required for the trip, but it is possible for individuals to join a larger group. Usual times are between 13:00 and 18:00 but other times are available.

Participants on these wild caving trips should be aware that part of the route is in the bed of an underground river, which is normally quite calm, but can be as deep as 30 cm and there is a risk of flooding. However this trip is well worth it as the striations in the underground canyon have to be seen to be believed, because the walls of the cave appear as blue marble.

Text by Tony Oldham (2003). With kind permission.