Aven Armand

About

The Aven Armand is a French underground cavity located under the causse Méjean in Lozère, between Meyrueis and Sainte-Enimie, on the territory of the commune of Hures-la-Parade. An artificial entrance and a funicular facilitate the visit of this cavity, known for its "stagmite forest".

History: The aven bears the name of its discoverer, Louis Armand (1854-1921), blacksmith at the Rozier, who descended there the first on September 19, 1897, accompanied by Edward-Alfred Martel and Armand Viré. On 11 June 1927, the Aven Armand was built and made accessible to the public thanks to the drilling of a 208 m long tunnel, on a gentle slope, equipped with steps. Aven Armand has been a listed site since August 20, 1941. Since 1963, a funicular has provided visitors with easy access to the main hall of the cave, avoiding hundreds of stairs. The funicular has a length of 193 meters, for a elevation of 54 meters, a speed of 2.45 m/s and a theoretical flow of about 350 people per hour. The descent lasts about two and a half minutes. In 1999, a dossier of 18 sites and 24 caves with concretions from the South of France was proposed for registration on the...