Grotte des Demoiselles

The Grotte des Demoiselles is a large cave located in the Hérault valley of southern France, near Ganges, about 60 km (37 mi) west of Nîmes.

Many legends and stories have been linked with the cave, the existence of which has been common knowledge in the Languedoc region since time immemorial.

The best known legend tells of a shepherd looking for a lost lamb who wandered into the swallow hole that marked the entrance to the cave.

At the time, visiting the cave was quite perilous, but in 1931 a funicular, concrete stairs and walkways with sturdy railings and extensive electric lighting were installed to make it accessible to the general public; and since then it has been a popular regional tourist attraction.

The Grotte des Demoiselles is thought to have initially been formed by the collapse of overlying limestone, made fragile by water erosion.