Tindoul de la Vayssière, Natural pit cave in Salles-la-Source, France.
Tindoul de la Vayssière is a natural pit cave featuring an oval-shaped opening about 40 meters long and 25 meters wide. The shaft descends about 67 meters into limestone, with an extensive network of passages extending more than 2 kilometers below.
The first recorded descent occurred in 1785 when Charles Carnus ventured into the pit. Extensive exploration followed in the late 1800s under Édouard-Alfred Martel, who mapped the underground passages systematically.
The name comes from the Occitan word 'tindar', which describes the sound of stones falling into the pit. You can feel this connection to local language and landscape when you approach the opening and listen to the echoes from below.
Metal stairs installed by Louis Armand provide safe access to the deeper sections and gallery systems. Wear appropriate footwear and a jacket, as underground conditions are cool and damp year-round.
An underground river system beneath the pit connects to the waterfalls of Salles-la-Source through intricate limestone channels. This hidden water flow feeds the springs visible above ground, linking the hidden depths to the landscape people see every day.
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