| Location: | North of Saulges, near Thorine-en-Charnie, département de la Mayenne. |
| Open: |
16-MAR to JUN daily Mon-Sat 14, 14:50, 15:40, 16:30, Sun, Hol 10, 10:45, 11:30, 14, 14:50, 15:40, 16:30, 17:20. JUL to AUG daily 10, 10:45, 11:30, 14, 14:50, 15:40, 16:30, 17:20, 18:10. SEP to 14-NOV daily Mon-Sat 14, 14:50, 15:40, 16:30, Sun, Hol 10, 10:45, 11:30, 14, 14:50, 15:40, 16:30, 17:20. [2010] |
| Fee: |
One Cave:
Adults EUR 6, Children (6-15) EUR 4, Students EUR 4. Groups (10+): Adults EUR 4. Two Caves: Adults EUR 9, Children (6-15) EUR 6, Students EUR 6. Groups (10+): Adults EUR 6. [2010] |
| Classification: |
 Karst cave.
|
| Light: | electric. |
| Dimension: | T=13°C. |
| Guided tours: | |
| Photography: | |
| Accessibility: | |
| Bibliography: | |
| Address: |
Grottes et Canyon de Saulges, 53270 Thorigné-en-Charnie, Tel: +33-243-905130, Fax: +33-243-905544.
E-mail: |
| Last update: | $Date: 2011/12/13 08:53:36 $ |
| 1873 | first excavations. | |
| 1879-1882 | tunnel by Arsene Roblot. | |
| 1931 | excavations by Raoul Daniel. | |
| 1967 | Norbert Casteret and a team of cave divers explore the lake. | |
| 2001 | excavation by Stéphan Hinguant. |
The entrance section of the Grotte de Rochefort (Rochefort cave) to the salle des Troglodytes (Hall of the Cave Dwellers) has been known for a very long time. First excavations in the cave took place in 1873. But the owner of the cave started in 1879 to dig a tunnel, by removing sediments from a completely filled passage. In 1882 he reached the end of this passage after 20m, and on 17-APR-1882 he first explored the passages behind. At the age of 70, accompanied by a farm boy, he climbed down a 13m deep shaft on a knotted rope and discovered new chambers and an underground lake. By a strange twist of history, this tunnel was later named Leveille corridor after one of his tennants Couloir Léveillé.
This cave has been excavated for a long time, starting with the excavation of 1873. Those early excavations more or less destoyed the archaeologic wealth of the cave. Some drawings, old black and white photographs, and a few findings spread over various museums are the meager result. The first true scientific excavation was actually started in 2001 by Stéphan Hinguant.
)
)
| Main Index | France | Pays de la Loire |
| Last updated Terms of Use, © Jochen Duckeck. |
Custom Search
|
 |
Maps Alphabetical Index |
|
Contact showcaves.com: |
|
General Information |