We decided to visit the Gouffre de Padirac cave system, reputed to be a spectacular underground river and a top sight in the Dordogne, just a little over an hour drive from our house in St. Cyprien. We didn’t really know what we were getting into, which was probably a good thing, but our friends who were visiting wanted to see the caves. Brochure pictures looked intriguing. Not our usual thing, but — hey! Something different to try!

The visit begins with a knee knocking descent into a huge, deep chasm, 338 feet (103 meters) below the surface. The chasm has been known for centuries and potassium nitrate was extracted from there in the 15th and 16th centuries.

You can take three elevators down to the bottom, but, stupidly, we decided to walk down the caged staircase so that that we could hyperventilate into a panic by the time we reached the bottom.

And then you enter the cave. The first few hundred meters is a walk in sometimes claustrophobic passageways—not really much to see but eyes acclimatize, you get used to the chilly temperature and the overall dampness. Then, after having to fight with the automatic ticketing machine that guards the next phase of the visit (unless you’ve downloaded your passes in advance you’re screwed— no internet three hundred feet underground), you get into a small boat that takes you along an underground river with a boatperson who both punts and paddles through the narrow channel, trying to avoid the returning boats coming the other way. Hard not hit your head on the cave ceiling or protruding side walls. All the time we were trying to listen to an audio guide (available in several languages, although Mary opted to ignore the whole audio thing — was hard enough to focus on feet, not hitting your head and breathing) that really just relives the adventures of the first modern explorers who came here in the 1890’s. By the 1930’s tourists began to visit.

At the end of the boat ride you come to the most spectacular part of the caves. Another several hundred meter walk. Really was amazing. Stalactites 180 ft long, huge cathedral sized rooms, massive flowing calcite rock formations and more under ground pools with crystal clear water illuminated by the lighting system. No pictures allowed but, of course, every French person was snapping photos, so what the “merde” we joined in. When in France….do as the French.

We cut our visit a wee bit short—too many additional stairs and bridges across the chasms. At this point, Mary and our friend had enough (Mary’s knees were shaking and her pal is a loyal friend). The cave stretches for 25 miles (40 km) and empties into the Dordogne River. Only two people in history have made it all the way to the end. Wisely, only the first 2 km are open to the public.

For us, it was back to the boats, and a quick escape—this time, intelligently, using the three elevators to get out. Would we do it again? No. Would we recommend it to others? Yes, with multiple caveats. Claustrophobic, no. Fear of heights, no. To see something so unique? Yes!