Caves and Museums

GROTTES

ORGNAC L'AVEN
 L'Aven d'Orgnac (Orgnac chasm) 3 Stars cave. In the heart of huge chambers, you will discover the wonders of the subterranean world –more than 600 step. It is one of the most visited cave in Europe -Classified site-.
Hiking in the cave. "Musée régional de la préhistoire" (Regional Museum of Prehistory).
Grotte de la Forestière (La forestière cave) Easily accessible – 60 steps. It hosts a zoo with cavernicolous animals – the only one in France.

VALLON-PONT-D'ARC
Grotte des tunnels (the tunnels cave), formerly called Grotte de la Forge (La Forge Cave), this cave was discovered and explored in 1937. It is aged about
20 000 years and used to serve as a skeepfold at the beginning of the century.
It contains concretions such as the "Salle de la Vierge" (The virgin's chamber) and a subterranean lake which joins the river Ardèche.

Grotte des Huguenots (the Huguenots' cave) Speleology and Prehistory: exhibitions, entertainment programmes, guided tours and subterranean activities.

ROAD OF GORGES DE L’ARDÈCHE

Grotte de la Madeleine (La Madeleine Cave) Full of stalactites
of enchanting colours showing you the fantastic subterranean world. Light and sound effects.

ST MARCEL D'ARDECHE
Grottes de St Marcel d'Ardèche (St-Marcel-D'ardeche Caves) One of the biggest and most beautiful caves in Europe. Classified site. The chambers have striking dimensions and the concretions are astonishing in their variety and beauty. Large and deep stretches of water are also to be seen.

SAINT-REMEZE
Aven Marzal (Marzal Chasm) Cave and museum of the underground world. Light and sound effects in the cave. Prehistoric zoo : scenes of daily life have been reconstructed into lifelike scenes (life size reproductions of animals, sound system). More than 700 steps.
 

MUSEES

ALBA-LA-ROMAINE
Centre de Documentation archéologique (Archaelogical Documentation Centre) Visit of the centre and the exhibition room.

BANNE
Musée de l'Oeuf Décoré et de l'Icône : Prestigious collection of Easter eggs from different European countries and exhibition of iron and wood Russian Icons dating back to the 18th –20th c.

BIDON
Musée de la vie (museum of life) From the birth of the Universe to the appearance of Mankind. Dioramas, models, videos, fossils, introduction to paleontology – by prior arrangement


CHAMBONAS
Living Pig Museum
In a home built in the 15th and 17th centuries, discover pigs down through the ages. Children's' space, miniature animals…

CHIROLS (Pont-de-Veyrières)
Ecomusée du Moulinage (Spinning mill museum). Set in a former spinning mill. Machinery and documents relating to the history of the silk industry. Exhibitions. Video

CRUAS
Centre d'art et d'histoire André Auclair(André AUCLAIR Art and History Center). Museum of Contemporary art displaying the painter's works. Collection of objects related to sport and museum of lime

GRAS
Fauniscope : display of 16 000 insects of the French and the exotical wildlife, 200 stuffed mammals and birds replaced in their natural area –sea, mountain- Mini ferme (mini farm)

JOYEUSE
Musée de la Chataîgneraie (chestnut grove museum)
Collection of objects and tools related to the chestnut cultivation.

History and Legend Centre
In four galleries, discover the history and legends of the Duchy of Joyeuse: exhibitions, model of the duchy, films, collection of Gallo-Roman artefacts, a room dedicated to Charlemagne and a play space for children with educational games about the Middle Ages…

LA BASTIDE DE VIRAC
ROURES CASTLE : Silkworm farm and silk museum. Audio visit of the 15th century castle and silkworm farm. See the complete silk worm cycle from the worms to the eggs and from the eggs to the butterflies. Reconstitution of the work of the silkworm farmers. Mulberry tree plantation.

LARGENTIERE
Musée de la Soie (Silk Museum). Set in a former spinning mill and silk mill. Video on silkworm farming and its evolution. Visit to the former workshops.

LAVILLEDIEU
PETIT MUSEE DU BIZARRE : Dans une maison typique du Bas Vivarais sont rassemblés 200 œuvres d'art populaire en provenance de la moitié sud de la France. Objets et peintures de Lattier.

Petit musée du Bizarre (Museum of Odd Things) Hosted in a typical Bas Vivarais style house, 200 popular art works coming from the south of France. Objects and paintings by Lattier.

MIRABEL

Domaine Olivier de Serres : Experimental farm for goat farming. Vineyard. Silkworm farming. Herds of ovines. Game farming. Museum "Le théâtre de l'agriculture" memory place to discover the work of Olivier de Serres.

ORGNAC L'AVEN
Musée Régional de la préhistoire (Regional museum of Prehistory). Display of dwellings, flint cutting, adorned caves in the Ardèche Gorges, potteries, farming, dolmens, copper and bronzework.

PRANLES
Musée du Vivarais Protestant (Museum of protestantism in Vivarais). Set in a fortified 15th c house which was the birthplace of Pierre and Marie Durand, two protestant resistants in the 18th c.

RUOMS
Ardèche Wines : VINIMAGE brings the story of Southern Ardèche winemaking and wines alive interactively. Videos, booklets and objects to discover the secrets of local wine production.

ST ALBAN AURIOLLES
ALPHONE DAUDET MUSEUM (Mas de La Vignasse) : to see how people lived in the Ardèche in bygone times, visit this "mas" (a large low farmhouse), where author Alphonse DAUDET's mother's parents reared silkworms. Many unpublished writings, illustrations and by the author of "Les Lettres de Mon Moulin" are exhibited here too.

ST PIERREVILLE
Musée vivant de la laine et du mouton (Museum of wool and sheep). To know all the secrets of wool, sheep and spinning.
 

La maison du chataîgnier (the house of chestnut). Exhibition concerning the history of the long lastind relation between man and the breadtree.

SAINT REMEZE
The Lavender Museum
Formerly a shepherd's croft, the renovated building now houses a collection of old stills, old tools and photographs of how lavender used to be distilled. See the extraction of the lavender essence.

LE TEIL
Musée Départemental de la Résistance en Ardèche (museum of the Resistance in Ardèche). Museum recounting the main episodes of the Résistance in Ardèche from 1940 to 1945. Documents, showcase, screening room.

THUEYTS
.Ardèche d'Autrefois (the Ardèche of the old times museum). Museum showing you the peasant life through 1 000 objects in a house dating back to 1732.

LAGORCE
Ma Magnanerie (silkworm farming) In an authentic fit out silkworm farm. The
guided tour allows you to see the evolution between the silkworm and the butterfly. Exhibition and silk shop.

VALLON PONT D’ARC
Grotte Chauvet (Chauvet cave). Permanent exhibition
Dioramas and videos, to discover the engravings and paintings of the cave.

LES VANS
Museum of Archaeology, Geology, Arts and Popular traditions : Prehistoric, roman and medieval archaeology, geology, rural tools, craft, local history.

LEOPOLD OLLIER MUSEUM
Dedicated to the creator of orthopaedic surgery LEOPOLD OLLIER (Les Vans 1830 - Lyon 1900), the museum was opened to the public in June 2000, during a three day international orthopaedic surgery congress held in Les Vans. It presents the life and the work of this great humanist through iconographic documents, human and animal bones, and surgical equipment.

VALS LES BAINS
CHAMPANHET HOUSE : the three floors of this family house tell the story of farming in the Ardèche with models, reconstructions, films, artefacts and collections. A unique opportunity to discover the know-how of the Ardèche Hautes Cevennes. Crafts exhibition focussed on stone, wood and ironwork.

VILLENEUVE DE BERG

Le monde des abeilles (The World of Bees). Exhibition on apiculture, opening
of a hive within a security area. Products saling and tasting. Video.

COURRY
Grotte de La Cocalière : The pearl of Cévennes and Vivarais, main departemental road 904 between Aubenas Ardèche and Alès Gard, Courry village !
Come and discover or rediscover this marvellous and magical undreground world, the work of water and time !
The Cocalière was entirely restructured for your greater enjoyment.
Alain AZAÏS, a modern lighting designer, has managed to highlight the smallest of the treasures in this exceptional natural site : cavern pearls, disks, eccentric formations, an emerald river in a crystal box will delight both adults and children.
Grotte de la Cocalière, “the pearl of Cévennes”, one of the three most beautiful grottoes in France !
Guided tour. Return trip in a small train. Minerals, souvenirs, snack bar, shaded terrace, discovery path.
 

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