Grottes de Maxange

Useful Information

Location:	Le Buisson de Cadouin. 1 km from Le Buisson de Cadouin, signposted from the town centre.
Open:	FEB to MAR by appointment. APR to JUN daily 10-12, 14-18. JUL to AUG daily 9-19. SEP daily 10-12, 14-18. OCT daily 10-12, 14-17. NOV to DEC by appointment. [2006]
Fee:	Adults EUR 6.80, Children (4-12) EUR 4.30. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 5, Children (4-12) EUR 3.50. [2006]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	L=200 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Grottes de Maxange, "Mestreguiral", 24480 Le Buisson de Cadouin, Tel: +33-553-234280, Fax: +33-553-234280. 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

JUL-2000	cave discovered.
2001	development started.
20-APR-2003	opened to the public.

Description

The Grottes de Maxange (Maxange Caves) are located in the former Mestreguiral quarry, where the Caballero family quarried for two generations. During the quarry works a narrow cavity was discovered and soon explored by Angel Caballero and some friends. Angel Caballero named the cave Maxange as a combination of Maximilien and Angel, the Christian name of his father, who had founded the quarry, and his own.

Continued quarry works would have destroyed the cave, so Angel Caballero decided to close the quarry and become show cave owner. He started with the development works and opened the cave only two years later in 2003.

The cave is a connection of two formerly not connected caves. The so called Grotte Inférieure (lower cavern) has no concretions at all. The second part, the Grotte Superieure (upper cavern), is full of the rare helictites, which are called excentriques in French. This crystal concretions are the true treasure of this cave and make it so exceptional.