Aven d'Orgnac - Grand Site de France

Leisure
Cultural
Recreational activities

Elevation : 291m

2240 route de l'Aven, 07150 Orgnac-l'Aven

Embark on a unique journey through land and time. Here, explore two amazing worlds: the Aven d'Orgnac, a spectacular cave, and the Cité de la Préhistoire, a modern and interactive museum. Let it be known—it’s the perfect combination for young and old alike!

Deep within the Ardèche limestone, just a few hundred meters from the Ardèche Gorges, the Aven d’Orgnac reveals its treasures: a vast underground cavern, shaped over 100 million years, and a mineral landscape in constant flux. At the Aven d’Orgnac—a “Grand Site de France”—amidst fantastical formations and delightfully mysterious atmospheres, your curiosity about the origins of our world—both underground and above ground—will be fully satisfied! * Beneath the earth, nature in all its majesty Inside, you’ll walk beneath dizzying ceilings nearly 55 meters high, surrounded by giant palm trees, ochre-colored draperies, stacks of plate-shaped stalactites, imposing columns, and organ pipes… The tour involves descending 700 steps and a 121-meter drop, but the ascent is by elevator. At 12 °C, the cool air is a welcome relief, especially on hot days. * Above: At the Heart of Our Human Heritage Outside, the Cité de la Préhistoire completes this immersive experience. It’s a living space! Through its workshops, interactive exhibits, and reenactments, it brings visitors into dialogue with the first Europeans. A journey through 350,000 years of human history, where every object and every reenacted gesture contributes to our collective memory. It’s a modern, fun, and interactive museum that draws on local collections, a contemporary exhibition layout with immersive design, and hands-on workshops to bring ancient practices to life. * Don’t miss: • The “Wine Tasting Underground” experience, held in a specially designed gallery, to awaken the senses in a unique subterranean setting. • The outdoor trails, picnic areas, and shaded spots—perfect for taking a break or winding down the day in peace. *Practical tips: Bring a light jacket, sturdy shoes, and a camera (the colors and shapes are breathtaking), and plan on spending half a day to a full day to fully enjoy the site, its carefully designed lighting, the guides’ clear explanations, and the balance between scientific discovery and spectacular visuals.

Services for children
Learn how stalactites (which hang down) and stalagmites (which grow upward) form by listening to explanations tailored for young children as you walk down the 700 steps through the cave: a breathtaking, real-life science lesson!
From 1 Jan 2026 to 3 Jan 2027
The Aven d'Orgnac Grand Site has implemented initiatives to promote more sustainable and responsible tourism, particularly in connection with the “Grand Site de France” program (2004, renewed in 2010, 2016, and 2023), a designation awarded every six years by the Ministry of the Environment to French sites managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, in a sustainable manner, while preserving the natural site and the environment.
This initiative to promote sustainable tourism focuses both on the site itself (300 photovoltaic panels, LED and sequential lighting, an ecological basin for natural regulation through plants, caving practices that respect the site, …), and its scientific uniqueness, which contributes to research on environmental topics (climatology and paleoclimatology, study and correlation of surface and subsurface biodiversity, protection and promotion of evidence from the past: paleontology, archaeology, karstology, geomorphology, etc.), its economic environment (promotion of local winemakers and producers through the farmers’ market and wine-tasting tours), as well as its natural environment (enhancement of trails and biodiversity, natural areas, picnic areas, and parking integrated into the landscape). Beyond that, the site continues its efforts to promote sustainable tourism, particularly by refining its offerings to fully account for its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, while meeting the needs of visitors, environmental professionals, and host communities:
- employment (particularly policies regarding seasonal workers),
- energy-efficient renovations (administrative buildings and museum storage facilities),
- admission pricing policies (families, groups, local residents, etc.),
- sustainable transportation on-site and to the site,
- education (educational programs, school and non-school activities, exhibitions related to the site’s history…),
- cultural programs (lecture series, collaboration with local professional and amateur cultural organizations and nearby cultural sites),
- scientific studies and research related to the environment,
- access policies for people with disabilities,
- collaboration with businesses in southern Ardèche exploring sustainable tourism (tourism professionals, leading companies in the field—e.g., Occitane/Melvita, the agricultural sector, etc.),
- development and promotion of a half-day to full-day site exploration program (taking one’s time, fewer daily trips between different sites…),

Services

Concert

Temporary exhibition

Shows

Activity

Climbing sports

Via cordata

Climbing

Caving

Restaurant

Coach parking

Parking nearby

Car park

View all services

Quality standards

Guide Michelin

Famille plus

Label Accueil Vélo

Qualité Tourisme™

Accessibility

Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs

Reserved space 330 cm wide < 100 m from the site

Absence of protrusions > 2 cm

Doors >=77 cm wide

Reception desk between 70-80 cm high

WC + grab handle + adequate space to move

Rates

From 1 February 2026 to 3 January 2027

Adult

€16.50

Child

€11.00

The prices above apply to the Grand Site Pass (cave + Cité de la Préhistoire)
Aven d'Orgnac Grand Site de France – Chauvet 2 – Pont du Gard Partnership: When you visit one of these three sites, you’ll receive a €1 discount per person on admission to the other two sites within 7 days.