Aven Marzal, Show cave in Saint-Remèze, France.
Aven Marzal is a cave near Saint-Remèze where passages extend 800 meters underground, shaped by stalactites, stalagmites, and mineral formations built up over millennia. The stone displays layers and textures formed as water seeped through the rock over thousands of years.
The cave was first discovered in 1892 by E.A. Martel but then fell into obscurity until French cave explorers found it again in 1949. It opened to visitors starting in 1954 and has since become a destination for underground exploration.
The site carries a name tied to early cave exploration and stands as a place where scientific curiosity meets the natural world. Visitors experience how underground research developed in France and what drew people to discover hidden geology.
Visitors can join guided tours lasting around one hour that show the interior passages and formations. The site is walkable, though visitors should be prepared for stairs and uneven ground underground.
Beyond the cave itself, the site includes a dinosaur zoo with life-sized recreations of mammoths, T-rex, and other prehistoric creatures. These animated scenes spread across about two hectares create an unusual mix alongside the underground passages.
Location: Saint-Remèze
Website: https://aven-marzal.com/grotte/salles
GPS coordinates: 44.36959,4.51057
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:45
The Ardèche combines natural formations with centuries of human settlement. This southeastern French département stretches from the volcanic heights of the Cévennes to deeply carved limestone gorges along the river of the same name. The Pont d'Arc, a 197-foot (60-meter) natural stone arch, marks the entrance to the Gorges de l'Ardèche, while the Grotte Chauvet preserves cave paintings created 36,000 years ago. The landscape alternates between forested plateaus like the Bois de Païolive, where weathered limestone takes unusual shapes, and river valleys that have supported communities for centuries. Several villages including Balazuc, Vogüé, and Labeaume cling to cliffsides above the water, their narrow lanes leading past castle ruins and Romanesque churches. The Cascade du Ray-Pic drops 197 feet (60 meters) over a basalt wall, while Mont Gerbier de Jonc holds the source of the Loire River. Beneath the surface, extensive cave systems include the Grotte de la Madeleine and the Aven d'Orgnac with its underground chambers. The Château de Crussol stands on a rocky outcrop above the Rhône valley, while the Château d'Aubenas dominates the town below. Between these natural and historical sites, the Train du Vivarais and the Vélorail des Gorges du Doux connect visitors to the region in practical ways.
Gorges de l'Ardèche
3.8 km
Cave Saint-Marcel-d'Ardèche
4.8 km
Bois des Géantes dolmens
5.6 km
Musée de la Lavande
3.3 km
Réserve naturelle nationale des gorges de l'Ardèche
3.7 km
Grotte de la Madeleine
3.9 km
Grotte de la Tête du Lion
5.6 km
Zoo Préhistorique de Marzal: la Forêt des Dinos
228 m
Vestiges
3.1 km
Baume d'Oullins
5.2 km
Champvermeil dolmen
3.6 km
Dolmens du Chanet
3.4 km
Pradinas dolmen
5.2 km
Chanet dolmen
4.3 km
Grosse Pierre
4.9 km
Colombier dolmen
5.2 km
Église de Saint Remèze
2.7 km
Église de la Décollation-de-Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Bidon
1.9 km
Bois des Géantes, dolmen N°3
5.4 km
Chapelle de Rimouren
5.9 km
Chapelle Sainte-Anne de Saint-Remèze
2.6 km
Dolmens n° 5 du Bois des Géantes
5.5 km
Bois des Géantes, dolmen N°1
5.9 km
Bois des Géantes, dolmen N°2
5.4 km
Aven de la Rouvière
3.7 km
Dolmens n° 4 du Bois des Géantes
5.4 km
Chapelle de Chalon
5.9 km
Aven des Neuf Gorges
5.5 kmReviews
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