Rivière souterraine de la Bèze

Photo : Prosopee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Caves · Côte-d'OrWorth a visit

Rivière souterraine de la Bèze

Côte-d'Or, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

The Bèze caves, in the Côte-d'Or, about thirty kilometres north-east of Dijon, house an underground river fed by a spring upstream of the cavity. The initial part, the Crétanne cave, has been known since the Middle Ages. The underground lake and other passages were discovered only in 1954, during a caving descent, and the parts developed for tourism date from 1972.

The visit starts on foot, then continues by boat on the underground river to the Blanc hall. Guides move the boats along using a cable fixed to the ceiling. The visitable part extends over about 500 metres, for a visit of about 45 minutes in water at 12 °C: it is advisable to dress warmly. The route is not suited to people with reduced mobility.

The site also has scientific interest for the study of karst and of fauna adapted to underground life. It is open for visits seasonally.

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