Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex

Useful Information

photography — Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex, France. Public Domain.

Location:	576, route des grottes, 74210 Faverges-Seythenex. Seythenex, Haute Savoie. 27 km south of Annecy, 18 km north of Alberville. Motorway A43 exit Frontenex, col de Tamié, then towards Faverges. Before Faverges turn left to Seythenex. (45.7314221, 6.2987728)
Open:	MAY to JUN daily 10-17. JUL to AUG daily 9-18. SEP to mid-SEP daily 10-17. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 9, Children (4-12) EUR 7, Children (0-3) free. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 8, Children (4-12) EUR 6. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave Gorges
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=1,000 m, T=10 °C, A=660 m asl.
Guided tours:	L=250 m, D=40 min. English speaking guide available.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Ivana Jovanovic, Preston Miracle (2014): The Chipped Stone Industry from Rastuša Cave Master Thesis, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Banja Luka. researchgate
Address:	Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex, Maison des grottes, 576, route des grottes, 74210 Faverges-Seythenex, Tel: +33-450-445597. 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

Description

This is the only tourist cave in the Haute Savoie. An underground tour allows the visitor to discover the wonders left by the receding waters of a glacier. Moulins, small and giant cauldrons can be seen. On the surface there are animated models of a watermill, oilmill, sawmill and a forge. A film shows craftsmen at work in their workshop. Footbridges and staircases enable visitors to walk up to the top of the waterfall (height 40 m).

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

The short description by Tony is still valid, after more than 20 years. However, times change and it is necessary to add updates. The site is now classified as a Geosite by the Bauges Massif Natural Park, which is a UNESCO Global GeoPark. It has three sights, the 45 m high waterfall and the gorge, the show cave, and zip lines across the gorge, which are called Tyrolienne in France. The tickets are valid for cave and waterfall, there are separate fees for the zip line as well as a combo ticket. The small river is named St Ruph and rises at the Col d'Orgeval in the Bauges massif. It cut a deep gorge into the limestone and formed not only Geology potholes, but also caverns. However, the small river of today was not the reason for this gorge, at the end of the last ice age, the melting waters of the retreating glaciers were quite massive. They cut deep and fast.

The character of the cave is quite impressive, it is more or less an underground gorge, with almost no speleothems. The explanation is simple: it was flooded by the river quite frequently, and all speleothems were destroyed by the flowing water. On the other side the wealth of erosional forms is quite exceptional. There are scallops and Geology potholes, passages which form almost circular tubes, which are a result of water flowing through under pressure. There are so many show caves with speleothems, but show caves with such a spectacular erosional character are extremely rare.

The cave is located in Haute-Savoie, a massiv of the Alps bordering both Switzerland and Italy. It has the largest range of elevations of all the departments in France, with the lowest point in the Rhône Valley at 250 m asl and Mont Blanc (4,810.40 m asl) is the highest. The cave is located in a valley which crosses the lower mountain range between Annecy and Albertville. To get there follow D1508 through the valley and exit at Faverges, then follow D12 south. There is a turn right, in the last part of Faverges, into Route du Villaret, which leads directly to the gorge. There is a sign to the cave, but it is small and easily overlooked.