Grottes de Lamberta

Les Grottes des Roches Grises La Lamberta


Useful Information

Location: 1789 Mont-Vully.
(46.953790, 7.086583)
Open: No restrictions.
[2022]
Fee: free.
[2022]
Classification: TopicWorld War I
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=200 m.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Vully Tourisme, Route du Lac 114, 1787 Môtier, Tel: +41-26-673-18-72. E-mail:
Vully-les-Lacs Tourisme, Route d'Avenches 11, 1585 Salavaux, Tel: +41-26-520-75-20. E-mail:
Murten Tourismus, Hauptgasse 27, 3280 Murten/Morat, Tel.: +41-26-670-51-12, Fax: +41-26-670-49-83. 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.
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History

1914-18 caves built as casemates and lookout.

Description

The Grottes de Lamberta (Lamberta Caves) are located on Mont Vully (653 m asl), a small hill with a plateau on top, between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Morat. That's the reason why they are sometimes also called Grottes du Mont-Vully. They are located at the edge on the southeastern side towards Murten and offer a great view. This view was the reason, why during World War II corridors, embrasures and accommodation rooms were built into the sandstone. Fortified shelters for weapons, accommodation, command post, telephone exchange, medical facility or magazine are generally called casemates. This one was part of the system of defense for the Swiss central plateau.

The Sentier Historique du Vully is a trail which connects the sights on the hill on a two-hour round course. Another World War I sight is the Réduit du Vully was an infantry military base on the southwestern edge. It is much smaller but the underground parts are better built with concrete walls and ceilings. It was intended to block the way between the Lake of Murten and the Lake of Neuchâtel.

The most impressive sight for geologists is a natural geotope, «Louis Agassiz» Stone – Palet Roulant Ha huge rock has the inscription LOUIS AGASSIZ 807 1823. This was the rock where Jean-Louis R. Agassiz (*1807-✝1873), an apothecary who was very interested in geology, first discovered that ice ages existed. This rock is an erratic block composed of a kind of rock which does not exist in this area, it was transported by some force over a long distance although it was as huge as a house. The only explanation he found was a glacier, which moved the rocks suspended in the ice. The idea was so new, it caused an uproar among geologists, but finally they had to accept it logic. Today the theory is common knowledge.