The caves and valley of Saulges, and a fascinating museum | Tourism portal of the department

The caves and valley at Saulges are a real “Swiss Army Knife” day out!

Everyone can pick the adventure that suits them best: culture, exploration, activities or relaxation. There are the caves themselves and the museum, but also the valley park, which offers a variety of activities, both supervised and independent. If you’re just looking for relaxation, you’re not forgotten either.

Let’s start with the caves. An exceptional site, these are the only caves with cave paintings north of the Loire. Two of the caves can be visited, both with enhanced reality features overlaying a virtual tour onto the real thing.

The first is the Grotte de Margot cave, 300 meters long and a real national treasure. In 2003, a team of archaeologists discovered images of woolly rhinoceros, bison and even birds, unique for this type of representation.

The second visit is in the Grotte de Rochefort cave. A vertical gulf plunges into a 15-metre chasm and ends at an underground lake. You can explore it by taking the stairs and ladders, and see the ongoing archaeological excavations.

A museum and a virtual headset

Virtual reality and CGI images enhance the experience, getting you as close as possible to the stone age artists.
In the museum, the 3D reconstruction of a cave allows you to admire the paintings to the full.
The virtual device offers a total immersion experience. Equipped with a helmet, you can dive in, move about, observe and feel the all the sensations of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

A virtual marvel!

After your virtual tour, take to the great outdoors and check out the climbing rocks near the caves. All climbing routes are accessible to adults and children alike, and the activities are supervised.

A trip along the river is also on the program of activities in the valley of the caves. Take a nap, or sit down for a picnic on the banks of the river Erve, or dive in for a refreshing swim! Nothing virtual about this part of your day!