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The major system of the Vercors is the Gouffre Berger/Fromagere system (depth: -1271

metres, length: 31,190 metres) which ultimately collects all the water from the Sornin

plateau which it delivers to the resurgence at the Cuves de Sassenage. The Berger is world

famous for being the first cave to be explored deeper than 1,000 metres (August 11th

1956) and the local people are justifiably proud, not to mention protective, of this world

class cave.

 

The system now has 7 entrances and the most comprehensive survey was included in

Speleo No. 29. The Berger remains one of the "must do classics" for most UK caving

clubs, although access is controlled via a permit system.

 

Click here for information on access and rigging info:  

http://latronche.free.fr/berger.html#recom_en

 

The following UK clubs have produced excellent guides to the Berger:

 

Craven Pothole Club (1994)  

Bradford Pothole Club (1993)  

Crewe Caving and Climbing Club (1983)

Des Marshalls "Caves of the Vercors" also contains loads of useful information.

 

The following French Publications contain a wealth of information although (naturally) in French: Speleo Dans le Vercors Tome 1 (contains accurate rigging info)  Speleo No.3, 29  Scialet No.1,3, 5, 8, 9, 17, 18,

 

Given settled weather, the Berger fully deserves its reputation as a world class cave. A visit to Salle des Treize includes the descent of a superb series of pitches, the traverse of the fantastic Starless River, the enormity of the Great Rubble Heap and the beauty of Salle des Treize (and Salle Germain). Below Balcony Pitch (-650 metres) the cave becomes much more of a serious undertaking and demands greater caution and technique. The entire cave becomes dangerous after prolonged rain.

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Vercors Caving - An Overview

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The Vercors became popular with UK cavers following the outrageous British expeditions to the Gouffre Berger in the early '60's led by Ken Pierce. The more discerning cavers realised that there was a truly beautiful and secret corner of France beyond the Sornin plateau. Word has spread slowly ever since.

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Generally, caving in the Vercors is (due to the geology) split into regions. In the north east (from the Moucherolle up to the Sornin Plateau) the caves are very deep and demanding. They are also extremely weather dependant, and due to extremes of weather (it can be too hot to approach them in summer, and too risky to descend them in unsettled weather) are generally descended by local cavers in the depths of winter, when the ski infrastructure is used to aid access. In the north west (Autrans and Meaudre areas) there are many fine systems, few could be described though as "holiday caving". (Holiday caving; caves that can be completed in a day without adopting multi day "siege" tactics or requiring long approach walks).   

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In the south, the Herbouillty Plateau contains many caves of varying depth and difficulty and is the subject of a guide book of it's own (now sadly long out of print).  The area bordering the Vernaison  river valley contains many caves of varying difficulty, including the impressive Luire system, just south of St. Agnan, which resurges at the Bournillon (the largest cave entrance in Europe). In the south west can be found Scialet Michelierre (near Vassieux) and further west still on the Font d'Urle plateau are numerous excellent caves including Scialet II des Chuats, now over 42k long which also resurges at the Bournillon.  Generally, the caves of the southern Vercors are more suitable to "holiday caving". 

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Published Information on Vercors Caving;

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Given the number of caves in this region (in excess of 3,000 of various descriptions and development) it is frustrating to find so little published information on them. Long out of print are;

 

Grottes and Scialets du Vercors;  "the Bible" published in two parts (1978 and 1979) these listed the complete inventory of Vercors caves when they were published. The books are now extremely rare, although photocopies of them appear from time to time. The inventory is maintained by the annual "Scialet" (for the north of the Vercors) and "LSD" (Les Speleo Dromois) for the south.

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Also out of print are;

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Connaissance et Decouverte du Vercors Souterrain (Herbouilly area 1978)

Paysages du Vercors Souterraine (1981)

Moucherolle Souterraine (1988)

Speleo dans le Vercors (tomes 1 & 2 Edisud 1997 & 1999) are the most recently published guide books which contain accurate descriptions of a selection of classic Vercors caves, although both books are now difficult to find.

Caves of the Vercors by Des Marshall contains useful information on access, but as essentially a transcription of a much earlier French guide book, which was acknowledged to have many inaccuracies, should not be considered definitive in its descriptions.

Premiers pas Sous Terre (Didier Richard) lists caves suitable for novices and children butb is now long out of print.

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Expe (at Pont en Royans) stock some back issues of both Scialet and LSD.

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Some suggestions for a first time visit would be;

Grotte de Gournier; (requires a dinghy to cross the entrance lake) two trips, one to admire the enormous fossil passages and formations, the other to explore the active upstream system.

Scialet Mallaterre; a 400ft deep shaft of two 200ft pitches from a bridge across the entrance.

Scialet l'Appel; a superb active river system, reached via an entertaining fossil entrance series. 

Scialet Cloches; an easy ice cave with impressive ice formations if the previous winter has been hard.

Grotte du Berger; an easy afternoon trip in a horizontal system reached via an interesting walk on the side of a big cliff.

Scialet Graille; an easy trip into an impressive series of chambers containing staggering stal columns - take a camera.

Scialet Michellier; A fine series of pitches leading into an impressive fossil series, which is still being explored by local cavers. Care; the formations (calcite and mud)  in the main passage are beautiful and very fragile.

Trou Spinette; An impressive vertical system that provides superb caving down to -291m, after which it's character changes significantly (total depth 460m)

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The only caving shop in the area is Expe just outside Pont en Royans (good bars) Follow the D518 out of Pont in the direction of St. Marcellin and before going up hill, take the D531 to the left and Expe is on a small trading estate a couple of k's further on, on the right.

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Warning; All active caves in the Vercors are weather dependant and water levels within the caves react very quickly to rain. The catchment area for these caves is MASSIVE, so please be aware of local weather forecasts (the local Tourist Information office provides accurate weather forecasts - if you can read French!) Always remember that you are in a foreign country. The language is different and the Speleo Secours (French cave rescue) is not around the corner at Clapham!

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