Closeup on Lombrives Cave

Lombrives Cave is one of the top tourist destinations of the Ariège department. Venture beneath the ground for a guided 2 hour tour. Your guide will tell you all about the cave's history. In fact the cave was inhabited during protohistory, and people carried on coming here down the centuries. Home to the Magdalenians, used as a burial site during the Bronze Age and as a refuge by the Protestants, Lombrives Cave is a genuine historical treasure.

More recently, the cave hit the headlines again when it played host to the DEEP TIME science expedition. For 40 days, 15 volunteers lived within the cave, without any sunlight at all and without any information about time. And they endured cool, damp conditions as well. The purpose of the experiment was to analyse human behaviour and our perception of time, in an environment which was of course unfavourable to modern man.

Set off on the trail of History and of Man with a headlamp. There are a variety of hikes taking place every day, and if you're on holiday with the family, some of these have been devised especially for children aged 4 to 8. Remember to dress appropriately though, as it is cooler and damper than it is above ground.

Rivière souterraine de Labouiche, 09000 Baulou https://www.grottedelombrives.com/