Gouffre de Proumeyssac, le « Trou du Diable »

Audrix

In the Vézère valley, between Sarlat and Bergerac, a mouth in the rock opens onto a void so large that it was long called the ‘Trou du Diable’. According to the Dordogne tourism website, frightening legends surrounded it until the 18th century. The best known said that two ducks thrown into the hole had reappeared later, wings burned, at Perdigat, in the commune of Saint-Chamassy: enough to feed the place's diabolical reputation. The first written mentions of the abyss date from the early 18th century. It was explored only in 1907, by a certain M. Galou (his first name is not given in the pages read), who found large crystal columns there. Today one goes down in a cage, as in the early 20th century, through the natural opening, after crossing 12 m of rock, then the cage plunges about 40 m into the void. The site has a small museum that traces the history of the discovery and the medieval legends; the visit ends with a show of light and music projected on the walls. The concretions are said to be several million years old.

Getting there: Paying, guided visit of about an hour: one goes down in the cage through the natural opening, or enters on foot by a tunnel. Hours and prices not verified: see the official website. Coordinates: natural entrance in OpenStreetMap.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound