Vallée troglodytique des Goupillières

Useful Information

Location:	Azay le Rideau, 25 km from Amboise. From Azay-Le-Rideau on D84 towards Artannes for 3 km, turn left.
Open:	29-MAR to 15-NOV Mon-Fri 10-19, Sat, Sun 11-19. [2007]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5, Children (5-12) EUR 4, Children (0-4) free. Groups (20): Adults EUR 4. [2007]
Classification:	Cave House
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Vallée troglodytique des Goupillières, Les Goupillières, 37190 Azay le Rideau, Tel: +33-247-966084, +33-247-4546, Fax: +33-247-965025. 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

1962	first cave dwellings discovered by Louis-Marie Chardon.
1982	Louis-Marie Chardon inherits the ground and starts exploartion and development.
2000	opened to the public.

Description

The Vallée troglodytique des Goupillières (valley of the cave dwellers at Goupillières) is an ancient village of cave houses. It had long been forgotten, until André Chardon bought the ground in 1962. He planted apple trees on the slopes of the valley, but the ground was full of thick shrubs and he left it untouched. His 10 year old son Louis-Marie Chardon used the valley as a playground, and soon discovered the cave houses. Twenty years later the now grown up boy inherits the ground, and starts to completely explore the underground dwelling. He has the idea to renovate them and make them accessible. It takes again 15 years and then the old village is restored and in 2000 opened to the public.

Today the site is a comination of cave houses, museum, ecologic farm and animal shelter. The site is visited on a 40 minutes guided tour, which gives an introduction to its history and an overview on the buildings. Then the visitors are free to stroll along and visit any cave as long as they want. The visit typically takes about 1.5 hours.