Grotte des Lauriers

Cave of Laurels

Useful Information

Location:	In the Gorges de l'Hérault between Laroque and Saint-Bauzille de Putois. (43.916217, 3.735945)
Open:	closed. [2011]
Fee:	closed. [2011]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	T=14 °C
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Grotte des Lauriers, 34190 Laroque, Tel: +33-467-735557, Fax: +33-467-733492.
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

1930	discovered by Martel and de Joly.
1946	explored.
1991	opened to the public.
1997	closed.

Description

The Grotte des Lauriers is located in the Gorges de l'Hérault, the gorge of the river Hérault. It is a rather new show cave, opened only two decades ago. But it attracted only 12,000 visitors per year and was closed after a few years. The main problem was the lack of a parking lot. The visitors had to be transported to the cave entrance from some distance with a shuttle. The cost of this shuttle made the cave a financial disaster. At the moment the cave is closed but may be visited with groups after appointment. There is no electric light in the cave.

The cave was located strategically at the Hérault river, which was the only way to reach the hinterland. That was probably a reason for the people to stop here. The cave was inhabited between 20,000 and 15,000 years BP, excavations revealed thousands of objects from this time.

Today the location is mainly known among climbers. The cliffs around the cave entrance offer numerous routes.