Rocamadour to Gouffre de Padirac and Return

October 7, 2024

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Heart

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We visited Gouffre de Padirac today and it was a terrific experience. You really do feel like it is a journey to the center of the earth.

Picking up the all important picnic lunch.

Gouffre translates as chasm and that is the first thing you see when you arrive onsite. A giant hole in the earth. Imagine being the first to explore this massive chasm and the caves. Going down by rope ladder no less, in 1889. We had stairs, or an elevator. We chose the stairs going down and the elevator going up. Made sense to us!

You start by going down 103 m and do a self guided (with excellent audio guide) walk through the cave. Then you set off on a boat ride. This place sees 8000! visitors a day in peak season. Today they thought they might have 300. We felt in many places on our visit like there was no one else there. You enter by timed ticket and our entry had exactly 6 people. We lost sight of them immediately as they took the elevator down. The cave is massive. We were the only two (plus our boatman Christopher) on the boat portion of the visit. Most of our time in the cave we didn’t see another soul. The benefits of off season travel. It closes for the winter on the 3rd of November.

Once off the boat the spectacular geological formations kick it up a notch. In the Grand Dome there is a 94 m cathedral like ceiling. The whole place is incredible. Neither the pictures or anything I say will do the cave justice. The pictures simply don’t show the scale of the place.

The ride to and from the cave was straightforward and on a low traffic road, but I am betting from the size of the multiple parking lots that it isn’t a low traffic ride in July!

Once back in Rocamadour we explored the town and walked up to the sanctuary and ramparts. It was raining a little on our ride back from the cave but the rain was pretty steady on our explore of the town. Goretex jackets to the rescue.

The stations of the cross were on the switchbacks on the way up.

Another incredible day. We had fantastic news from a friend tonight as well. Life is to be appreciated and we are doing that tonight.

Today's ride: 35 km (22 miles)
Total: 1,466 km (910 miles)

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Tricia GrahamWhat an amazing place authorities we have been to Rocamadour I have never even heard of it
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1 month ago

Tricia GrahamI meant although not authorities. Autocorrect ☹️
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1 month ago

Lyle McLeodGouffre de Padirac is one of those places you have to experience ‘in person’. So great that you had the place almost to yourselves. That will have added another level to the already great experience. We were there on the Accession day holiday last May and there were at least 8,000 people there, still great though. Thanks for sharing!
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1 month ago

Jacquie GaudetGouffre de Padirac! I read about it on someone's journal on the other site and added it to my must-see list for French Fling. It was a highlight for sure and I'll go a second time if/when I'm in the area again.
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1 month ago

Betsy EvansVery cool. I had never heard of this place before. And now it’s on my list!
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1 month ago

Susan CarpenterWhat a great way to spend the day. I'd also not heard of Gouffre de Padirac, and I've been so close! Photos can never capture the experience and awe of underground caves but yours conveyed enough to entice others to visit, including me. Thanks
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Tricia GrahamIt really is an amazing spot. We loved it.
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Lyle McLeodI know it was still terrific though, believe me. These places are so popular for a reason, and while we were so lucky to have such a small number of people I would go back in a heartbeat even with thousands of others there.
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Jacquie GaudetIt was your journal that directed us to it! What a great resource CycleBlaze is.
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Betsy EvansIt was so well presented to. The audio guide was excellent. Not too much information, it was just the right amount.
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Susan CarpenterIt is well worth the visit, and if you can swing it in the off season, even better!
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1 month ago

Rachael AndersonWhat a fantastic day! The caves were spectacular!
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1 month ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Rachael AndersonIt was a moment for the memory banks for sure.
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1 month ago