CAVING

Helictite In this page, you are going to find:

- An introduction to caves and caving in the Alpes Maritimes.

- The underground itinaries we propose, their duration, the prices.

Caving

Caving is an activity often misunderstood by the public. It can fascinate, but more often, it can drive people off. "What the hell to go underground?" say people who cannot understand why cavers "bury" themselves in so unattractive and cold places. These people have never set foot underground to think that way. Caving unables to penetrate a magnificent world. A world of darkness, but where one's light reveals amazing mineral sceneries. It is a place where one can find virgin places. To be the first to penetrate such places triggers off feelings rarely experienced elsewhere.

What we offer is not exploration of virgin places; this is for specialists. Our ambition is to guide your first steps underground and help you to discover and understand it. Our county is not as well off for caves than Ardèche or Vercors for example. However, it enables an approach to caving. For those who have never been into a cave, a horizontal one will be suited for an initiation. The next step will be to learn single rope techniques (SRT) and then explore a vertical cave (pothole).

The equipment

For this activity, we provide an helmet equipped with an acetylen light and an electric back up. We lend you a caving oversuit. It is made of PVC coated polyester. You must bring your own undersuit : one piece garment of chlorofibre or polypropylene is ideal, but if you do not have one, warm garments will do the trick. Bring a pair of rubber gumboots or jogging type shoes. Take worn out stuffs, because caves contains mud. The thickness of the underwear depends on the cave temperature. This information will be given prior to the trip.

The itinaries

The caves that we propose to visit are located in the limestone areas lying north of the town of Grasse. The geologists call this region : the "Préalpes de Grasse".

HORIZONTAL CAVES :

Pâques cave : it is the trip we do most. Pâques underground network is the second longest caves in the Alpes Maritimes county. Therefore, it is possible to realize an interesting trip : a succession of chambers, galleries, muddy or aquatic passages will give you a good idea of what caving progression looks like. An other advantage of this cave is to adapt the length of the trip according to the level and the motivation of the participants. Last but not least, the cave is at the bottom of the Siagne gorge, and, in summer, it is pleasant to picnic on the river bank.
Price : 58 € per person.
Duration of the visit: about 4 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5.

Clauses: the price includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :
Caranques cave : it is located in the Loup gorges.This cave is well decorated. The trip is alas short. We access the cave by climbing up a steep path, the cave being at the foot of the gorge highest cliffs. Narrow passages give access to a chamber well decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones. Low passages lead to an other chamber with a muddy floor. The visit stops here. The cave goes on with a 40 m deep pitch.
Price : 43 € per person.
Duration of the visit: about 2 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5.

Clauses: the price includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :
Mescla cave : it is located in the Mescla gorge. This underground maze is one of the longest in the county, but most of it is underwater. We can visit the upper part of the cave, where old equipments do not make the cave prettier. One of the advantage of this cave is to be close to Nice, but the national road is right at its entrance !
Price : 45 € per person.
Duration of the visit: about 2 h to 3 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5.

Clauses: the price includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :

VERTICAL CAVES

The visit of vertical caves required the knowledge of what cavers call "single rope techniques", SRT; in a few word, it is to know how to abseil down a rope and jumar up the same way. A one day training enables to know the basic of this technique. It takes place on a cliff or from the top of a bridge.

Glacière cave :it is located on the Audibergue mountain. This cave enables to go down to a depth of 110 m. The way is through meanders and pitches. The last two pitches, 25 m and 27 m deep, are very beautiful.
Price : 63 € per person for the visit of the cave; 105 € for the SRT training and the visit of the cave.
Duration of the visit: about 4 h to 6 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5; number maximum of participants: 8.

Clauses: the price includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :
Cappuccino cave : it opens on the plateau of Cavillore, above the famous village of Gourdon. A 18 m and a 63 m pitches give access to a horizontal and well decorated gallery at the depth of 100 m.
Price : 63 € per person for the visit of the cave; 105 € for the SRT training and the visit of the cave.
Duration of the visit: about 4 h to 6 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5; number maximum of participants: 8.

Clauses: the price includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :
Petit Renard cave : it is a very beautiful and vertical pothole with a magnificent 68 m pitch. A serie of smaller drops lead to a chamber, at 105 m deep. The cave is near Saint-Vallier.
Price : 63 € per person for the visit of the cave; 105 € for the SRT training and the visit of the cave.
Duration of the visit: about 4 h to 6 h.
Minimum number of participants : 5; number maximum of participants: 8.

Clauses: the price only includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :

Vigneron cave : this cave is a "classic" of the Alpes Maritimes. Michel Siffre used this cave for his experiences on biological rhythm. The itinerary is not difficult. The last serie of pitches is pretty. This cave is located near the parking of the skiing resort "Audibergue-Moulieres".
Price : 60 € per person for the visit of the cave; 100 € for the SRT training and the visit of the cave.
Duration of the visit: about 3h to 4h.
Minimum number of participants : 5; number maximum of participants: 8.

Clauses: the price only includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :

Ollivier cave : this cave is a also a "classic" of the Alpes Maritimes and was also used for Michel Siffre's experiences on biological rhythm. The itinerary is not difficult and enables to see some nice underground sceneries. This cave is located near the parking of the skiing resort "Audibergue-Moulieres".
Price : 60 € per person for the visit of the cave; 100 € for the SRT training and the visit of the cave.
Duration of the visit: about 3h to 4h.
Minimum number of participants : 5; number maximum of participants: 8.

Clauses: the price only includes the professionnal guiding and the lending ot the gear as defined in the paragraph "the equipment".

Survey :

The cave quoted above are the ones we guide people most of the time. The Alpes-Maritimes does not offer a large choice of caves for beginners. Most of them are either too hard or do not offer any interest for the newcomer. Nevertheless, we take into consideration any proposal from you.

We have contributed in the publication of a book dedicated to the caves of the area called the "Préalpes de Grasse". If you are interested in this book, click on the button below (the book is in french):

ACCRO D'AVENTURES - JP SOUNIER

Tél : 06 61 76 34 41