Grottes des Tunnels

Grotte de la Forge

Useful Information

Image: The entrance of the cave is in a pub. Some people say, the pub is in the entrance of the cave!
Location: A7, exit Montélimar or Bollène, up the Ardeche valley to Vallon-Pont d'Arc. Near Vallon Pont d'Arc, 2.5km east at the Ardeche valley road. (N 44°23'425 - E 004°24'524)
Open: APR to SEP daily 8-21.
Fee: Adults EUR 3.35.
Classification: ExplainKarst cave
Light: electric.
Guided tours:  
Address: Grotte des Tunnels, Route des Gorges, Mezelet 07150, Vallon Pont d'Arc (Ardeche), Tel: +33-475-880373.


1937 discovered.
1953 opened to the public.


Image: Excentriques (helictites) in the cave.

The Grottes des Tunnels is located at the Ardeche Valley Road, close to the famous CavePont d'Arc.

This road winds along the Ardèche valley, sometimes at the banks of the river, sometimes above the valley on the plateau. Here, near the Pont d'Arc the road is very close to the river. But the valley narrows and the river flows through the Pont d'Arc, leaving no other possibility than a tunnel to build the road. This road tunnel gave this cave its name.

The Grotte des Tunnel has two entrances right at the road, only 30m east of the eastern entrance of the tunnel. The first entrance, a bit farer from the tunnel, is of great pelaeontologic and archaeological interest. It has been closed to the public by a massive iron bar gate, but its easily possible to have a look from the road through the iron gates.

The second entrance is bigger, and was used to build a pub inside. Here are the cave tickets sold, and then the cave is entered through the cellar of the pub. A steep iron stair leads down to the main level of the cave. The characteristics of this cave are enourmous amounts of clay, numerous patches of helictites and other nice speleothems, and a rather wild development. Its save to visit the cave, but the paths are often dirty or the rails are misssing. We suppose, appropriate clothes and shoes are a very good idea.

The cave is visited self guided. Visitors get a sheet of paper with some explanations and are then free to explore the cave in their own way. This is probaly not everyones thing, but our reviewers enjoy to spend as much time as they liked to study the speleothems and take some pictures.

Grottes des Tunnels Gallery