aven armand

After having booked our holiday months in advance to take advantage of the "reliable" French Summer, my girlfriend and I found ourselves on the upper plateau of the Tarn / Jonte gorges on a wet and miserable afternoon in July 2014. Thank goodness for the rain - as this made walking and landscape hunting out of the question, we opted to investigate the source of the brown sign we stumbled across and headed to Aven Armand. As such, we came upon this fantastic site completely by accident. The stalagmite forests and other geological formations are beautiful in themselves but the effort made by the French tourism department with the lighting and tour guides completed a sense of amazement with this place.If you are passing nearby I would strongly recommend that you stop in - plus if you go to another local attraction (see below) that's maintained by the tourism department then you get a discount on the entry fee. We went to 4 local attractions while in this area - Grottes de Darligan, which is an equally impressive cave system, complete with petrified waterfallChaos de Montpelier - rock formations that make fantastic scenery, complete with marked hiking circuitsThe ruined castle at Peyrelade (apologies for having forgotten its true name) which was really interesting and has fantastic panoramics of the surrounding valleysLe Maison des Vautours, a vulture museumAll of them were well worth a look in if you are in the area for a few days... and all of this as well as the magnificent gorges, cut through Devon-esque scenery on the plateau, and circled by the breathtaking vultures. All round, go to the Tarn, and go investigate the brown signs, you won't be disappointed!

We were in the area visiting the Millau Viaduct and after browsing through the Michelin Green Guide for other attractions to visit in the area, we decided on the Aven Armand.We were surprised, given the time of year, to find that it was not too crowded. There's a very reasonably priced cafe / bar next door if you are peckish. The attraction also has a decent shop and details of many other places to visit.After purchasing our tickets, we had to wait about 15 minutes for the departure of the next funicular down to the entrance of the cave, itself a fun an unusual experience! Once at the bottom you are taken on a guided tour of the cavern - in French, however you are provided with a comprehensive english translation of the script when you purchase your ticket so it's easy enough to follow what is being said. I don't want to spoil it too much but suffice to say that parts of the cave were simply breathtaking and very cleverly done. The only niggle is that the guide wouldn't always wait for the rest of the group to have caught up before starting his explanation.The cave also holds concerts in August evenings, and something we'll certainly consider for a repeat visit, the accoustics must be amazing.Because of the number of steps involved, some of which are quite steep, this attraction isn't really suitable for those of limited mobility.Would we return? Absolutely!

Really enjoyed this cave but make sure you are there early in the day to avoid the crowds. There are quiet a few steps to walk but the formations make it worth it.

Although the tour is in French, we were provided with a brochure with information in English so we could follow along. Cavern is very nice and the tour was enjoyable.

Breathtaking underground views, sooo beautiful!!! 45 min tour was great thanks to our guide who made it very entertaining and fun. I took many photos but nothing can compares with what you see in front or around you!!

A very interesting guided tour in a uique cave formation. Nice restaurant and magnificent surroundings

Can't recommend this highly enough. Spectacular stalagmites and stalactites, interesting tour in French (easy to understand in English if you know your geography). The scale is difficult to comprehend. Furnicular railway an exciting way to enter the cave. Take a light cardie as it's relatively cool in there and the tour lasts a good hour. Wear good footwear as its a bit wet and slippery in places. Steep steps, so not good for anyone with poor eyesight, a fear of heights or claustrophobia. Absolutely loved every second of it!

Beautiful setting by the river in Meyrueis and the meal was good and great value. However, on the day we were there the service was very poor. Despite having numbered tables many people were served either the wrong meal or it came long after it was ordered. On a warm day in lovely surroundings it didn't really matter!

We have been back to Aven Armand three times -- we were so amazed the first time we visited that we have added it to our travel plan with friends/family on subsequent trips. The grotte (cave) is completely underground so you have no hint what is there until you descend in the tram. The most majestic cavern awaits with winding pathways and spectacularly lit stalagmites and stalactites formed over hundreds of thousands of years. Truly a marvelous experience for young and old!

The tour was brilliant and some of the best examples of stalagmites and stalactites I have ever seen. I would thoroughly recommend this to people of all ages.

Imagine trying to explain to your son that he is surrounded by "stones" (stalagmites & Stalagtites) that are several MILLION yrs old. WOW, a little like Dinasaurs... What's a couple of million more or less between friends (or family). We loved this excursion SO much and it was truly magical discovering this place. REMEMBER to bring a sweater.

Une des plus belles grottes que j ai pu visiter. Une descente en funiculaire pour arriver dans une pièce grandiose, une vue à couper le souffle. Des concerts sont organisés dedans, je rêve d y aller un jour...

Voir ce que la nature peut accomplir si on lui laisse le temps. A voir absolument, vous en prendrez sans doute plein les yeux. Jeu de sons et lumières. Descente en funiculaire dans les entrailles de la terre. Site remarquable.

Aven Armand é simplesmente um espetáculo da natureza,a estrutura é muito boa também,tem espaço para venda de lembrancinhas,um trenzinho que conduz os turistas até o subterrâneo,os guias são bem preparados ah só é um pouco gelado lá em baixo,mas a experiência é incrível,ah recomendo que se utilize uma boa máquina fotográfica pois o ambiente é um pouco escuro.

C'est vraiment la grotte à voir, de toutes celles que j'ai visitées, celle ci est vraiment la plus spectaculaire par sa taille, sa profondeur et sa beauté