The Grotte des Demoiselles is a large cave located in the
Hérault valley of southern
France, near
Ganges, about west of
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...
. Its entrance is located on the territory of the commune of
Saint-Bauzille-de-Putois.
History
Many legends and stories have been linked with the cave, the existence of which has been common knowledge in the
Languedoc region since time immemorial. The best known legend tells of a shepherd looking for a lost lamb who wandered into the swallow hole that marked the entrance to the cave. He heard the lamb but could not see it, and so he continued deeper and deeper into the cave, until he reached the chamber now known as the ''cathédrale'' (cathedral). With only a torch for light, he slipped and fell to the bottom of the chamber (a 60-metre plunge between
stalactite
A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via
''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble an ...
s and
stalagmite
A stalagmite (, ; from the Greek , from , "dropping, trickling")
is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically ...
s). Knocked senseless by the shock, he noticed—just before passing out—a group of young ladies dancing and singing around him. When he woke up, he was back on the surface with his lamb. The modern name of the cave, ''Grotte des Demoiselles'' (“maidens' grotto”) reflects this legend; previously it had been known as the ''Grotte des Fées'' (“fairies' grotto”).
At various times in history the cave has also served as a hiding place and refuge. An early explorer of the cave was the composer
Benoît-Joseph Marsollier
Benoît-Joseph Marsollier (also known as Benoît-Joseph Marsollier des Vivetières, (Paris, 1750 – Versailles, 22 April 1817) was a French playwright and librettist. He is particularly noted for his work in opéra comique. In 1780 he also led ...
in July 1780. In 1889, more serious exploration of the cave was undertaken by the renowned
speleologist Édouard-Alfred Martel. At the time, visiting the cave was quite perilous, but in 1931 a
funicular, concrete stairs and walkways with sturdy railings and extensive electric lighting were installed to make it accessible to the general public; and since then it has been a popular regional tourist attraction.
Formation of the cave
The Grotte des Demoiselles is thought to have initially been formed by the collapse of overlying
limestone, made fragile by water
erosion. However, some doubt remains as to the source of the water: it may have been an underground stream that has now disappeared, or it may have been a stream that is now about 300 metres (~980 ft) lower, although no link with the latter has been discovered thus far.
See also
*
List of caves
External links
La Grotte des DemoisellesOfficial site (in French)
{{Coord, 43.9077, N, 3.7454, E, source:dewiki_region:FR-34_type:landmark, format=dms, display=title
Demoiselles, grotte des
Demoiselles
Limestone caves
Landforms of Hérault
Tourist attractions in Hérault