Photo : Jacques Bon jbon@cafcom.net / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Grotte de La Verna - gouffre de La Pierre Saint Martin
The Verna cave is at Sainte-Engrâce, in the Soule, in the karst massif of La Pierre Saint-Martin, on the borders of the Béarn and the Basque Country. Its main chamber, discovered in 1953, measures about 245 metres across and 194 metres high, a volume of about 3.6 million cubic metres: it is one of the largest underground cavities fitted out for the public.
Access is through an artificial tunnel of about 600 metres. Several guided tour options are offered, from discovering the great chamber to a longer tour reaching the underground river, up to a two-hour exploration. Visits are by booking. The temperature is about 5°C all year round: warm clothes and closed shoes are necessary.
The site is part of the Pierre Saint-Martin network, whose exploration began in 1950 and continues.
