• ACCESS & SERVICES

• Are there dining facilities at the Gouffre de Padirac?

  You have three dining options…
  - The Auberge: Convivial, home-style cooking offering only regional products (€€ / €€€)
  - The Buvette: Burgers, croque-monsieur, sandwiches, picnic hampers, etc. An open-air snack bar at the heart of the park (€€)
  - The Kiosque: Fine grocery counter and confectionery (€ / €€)

  Open according to season

  You can have a picnic in the wooded park, where waste bins are available for you to use.

  We invite you to consult the Food and Drink section for any further information.

• Are there left-luggage facilities?

  We recommend that you use special equipment to secure helmets to motorcycles, and that you leave bulky bags or strollers in your vehicle. Please note that the free car parks are not supervised. You remain liable for your vehicle and its contents.

• Can i park a motorhome?

  A local  infrastructure is available close to the Padirac village. It offers paid parking areas and amenities (water, electricity or dumping).

  To experience a better stay with your motorhome, please click on www.campinglot.com (Association des Campings du Lot - Lot Department Campsites Association).

• Are there car-park charges? Is there parking for disabled persons?

  Our car parks are near the Entrance Pavilion. They are free and open to visitors.
  Several parking spaces are reserved for disabled persons right by the entrance to the toilet block.

  Discover the interactive map of the Gouffre de Padirac

• Can the tour be done with an infant and a stroller?

  The site is not accessible by stroller.
  However, you can easily go on the tour with your infant by using a baby carrier.
  Please wrap the child up warm, for the temperature is a constant 13 °C. We also advise our visitors to wear shoes suitable for a tour in a damp environment.
  A baby-changing table is available in the toilet block of the main pavilion.

  Please see the section on Accessibility for further information.

• Can the tour be taken by persons who have difficulties in walking, or by pregnant ladies?

  Persons with mobility difficulties are advised to go down in the lift. However, there are a further 70 steps to reach the level of the Rivière Souterraine 103 metres underground.
  The gallery tour includes several sets of steps.
  Access to the Salle du Grand Dôme involves 150 steps going up and 150 steps going down.

  Please see the section on Accessibility for further information.

• Are there lifts to go down into the gouffre?

  Once your ticket has been validated and you have received your audio guide, you can choose to use the lifts or the "Eiffel Tower"-type stairs to go step by step down into the Gouffre de Padirac. There are a further 70 steps to reach river level, almost 103 metres underground.

• Are animals allowed?

  For reasons of conservation and hygiene, pets are not allowed on the tour.
  However, for information, several animal boarding facilities are located around Padirac and are used to receiving visitors' pets in accordance with their conditions:

  - Salon de Toilettage Espace Canin
  2 Rue Saint Pierre 46500 Gramat
  +33 (0)7 86 61 14 80
  Distance: 12 km

  - Au Petit Border
  138 Rue de Saliege, 46400 Saint-Céré
  +33 (0)6 76 73 63 23
  Distance: 17,8 km

  - Les poilus en Bouriane
  2150 route de Dardenne 46300 LE VIGAN
  +33 (0)6 32 66 87 22
  Distance: 30 km

  - Chenil du Causse
  Laborde – Route de Figeac – 46230 LIVERNON
  +33 (0)5 65 40 51 43 – +33 (0)6 70 35 04 83
  Distance: 35 km

  - Animal Home service
  Garde d’animaux à domicile dans un rayon de 15 kilomètres
  autour de Prats de Carlux (Sarlat, Souillac, Groléjac, Salignac)
  +33 (0)6 37 42 87 88

  - Pension canine La Patte de Sirius
  La Grave
  46360 Sénaillac Lauzès
  +33 (0)6 83 63 17 85
  Distance: 41,1 km

  Please contact the establishments for further details. The Gouffre de Padirac is not liable for any disputes that may arise in those accommodation facilities.

• Where can i find more information on the Gouffre de Padirac?

  If you would like to know more, please see our News page for articles on the Gouffre de Padirac. In addition, cover 130 years of history through documents from extraordinary archives that can be viewed at or downloaded from www.padiracotheque.com

• FAMILY AND CHILDREN

• Where can i find books, films, souvenirs, etc.?

  The Gouffre de Padirac Shop-Bookshop offers you a wide selection of books, souvenirs, decorative items, souvenirs, and textiles.

• Are Chèques Vacances accepted?

  Yes, Chèques Vacances (ANCV) are accepted at the Gouffre de Padirac (with no change given) only when purchasing your tickets at the main ticket counter.

  Add to your visit to the Gouffre de Padirac by taking part in a selection of family-friendly activities that vary according to season.
  Opposite the Entrance Pavilion is a recreational park with free entry. In addition, and according to season, there are cultural-mediation workshops, small wooden horses, playgrounds, etc.

  Discover the interactive map of the Gouffre de Padirac

• Do you have specific prices for groups or for school groups?

  Yes. Depending on the numbers involved and only by reservation, groups can enjoy specific prices.
  Please see the Groups and School Groups section.

• ON SITE

• What else is there to see in the region?

  In addition to Padirac, Lot Department and its region have great cultural wealth. The beauty of its landscapes will make your stay in the Dordogne Valley an unforgettable one.
  Please see our section called Around the Site to access the region's tourism web sites.

• Are private guided tours available?

  Private tours can be organised subject to prior request.
  Your group will have a dedicated guide for the whole tour, starting at the Reception Hall.
  Foreign-language guided tours are available.
  Please end your request to the Marketing Department by e-mail message to resa@gouffre-de-padirac.com, or by calling +33 (0) 5 65 33 77 37.

• Are there guided tours? In other languages?

  Subject to reservation for groups, guided tours can be organised in foreign languages. The request must be sent to the reservations office by e-mail message to resa@gouffre-de-padirac.com, or by using the forms on the Groups and School Groups pages (advance reservation is compulsory and subject to availability).

• Can I take photos during the tour?

  Photos are allowed during the visit (for strictly personal and non-commercial use), with the exception of the boat trip. Furthermore, the use of flash photography is prohibited during the entire visit.

  Please note: selfie poles are strictly forbidden throughout the site for safety reasons.

• How does the tour take place?

  When you arrive at the Entrance Pavilion, you will be given your exploration companion, an innovative and interactive multimedia guide in 6 languages for adults (French, English, German, Dutch, Japanese and Spanish) and 4 languages for children (French, English, Spanish and Dutch); it will be with you for the duration of your tour.
  After going down into the chasm 103 metres below the surface of the earth, in a lift or on foot, you take a boat along the Rivière Souterraine for a trip through majestic galleries in the company of a boatman-guide.
  You will see the Grande Pendeloque, a giant stalactite 60 metres high.
  You will disembark and continue on foot towards the Lac des Gours, and the Salle du Grand Dôme, which has a dome that rises 94 metres high.
  There, you can admire a multitude of concretions, candelabra, and limestone cascades, shaped by nature over millions of years.

• What is the total duration of the tour?

  The tour as a whole, starting in the Reception Hall, lasts for about 1½ hours, depending on your pace of exploration;
  You will cover a distance (out and back) of about 2.2 km, including 500 metres in a boat.

• PRICES AND TICKET COUNTER

• Are there special prices for disabled persons?

  Yes. Disabled persons pay a specific price on presentation of a currently valid official invalidity card.
  Please see the « Offers and Prices » page.

  Please note that our site is currently unsuitable for persons with motor disabilities. For more information, please see the section on Accessibility and do not hesitate to contact us.

• Are Chèques Vacances accepted?

  Yes, Chèques Vacances (ANCV) are accepted at the Gouffre de Padirac (with no change given) only when purchasing your tickets at the main ticket counter.

• Planning your visit over a public holiday or during school holidays

  To get an idea of traffic trends, please see the schedule of dates and opening times. The expected traffic level is indicated for information purposes.
  In addition, at the foot of our web page, a tool shows you expected traffic levels over the next 2 days.

  An important piece of advice - and it works! Reserve your tickets in advance!

  Use our internet ticket-booking system with fully secure payment. By reserving your tickets over the web page, you choose the time of your tour!

• How to buy your tickets

  - On the internet, thanks to the online ticketing service: you choose the date and time of your visit. You can buy your ticket up to 1 hour before your visit, depending on availability.

  The Gouffre de Padirac is often full, so it is strongly recommended that you plan ahead.

  - At the on-site ticket office: you choose the date and time of your visit for the next few days, or for the day itself, depending on availability. You can pay on site in ANCV.

  You are a group or school public (from 20 people):
  Benefit from special rates and book with the dedicated sales department by email at resa@gouffre-de-padirac.com or through the forms on the Groups and Schools pages (advance booking required).

  You are a tourism professional or a teacher organizing a visit for a group of more than 20 people:
  Contact the sales department by email at resa@gouffre-de-padirac.com to check your eligibility for the special rates.

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