French Pyrenees Weekend - Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave

About Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave Visit

Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave is a Subterranean Wonderland in the French Natural Park of the Catalan Pyrenees and the highest cave in France at 1530 metres that is open for tourists visits. The cave can be found in the perfectly preserved mountain village of Fontrabiouse.

The Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave was discovered by accident in 1958 when a marble quarry broke through to the 900m long caverns and passages. Inside was found stunning mineral deposits of red concretions, translucent aragonites and an emerald green underground lake.

The cave visit starts at the surface building which contains the ticket office, gift shop and a small canteen area. From the surface building stairs lead down to the start of the cave complex. As your eyes adjust to the dim light, you are greeted by a surreal world of stalactites and stalagmites, as water slowly dripped from the ceiling and sculpted the limestone caverns.

Stalactites hang like icicles from the cave’s ceiling everywhere, sometimes joining the stalagmites that rise from the ground to form spindly Egg timer column formations.

Note: The primary difference between stalagmites and stalactites is their orientation:
• Stalagmites grow upward from the cave floor. G denotes from the ground.
• Stalactites hang downward from the cave ceiling. C denotes from the ceiling.

Some of the rooms have names, such as the Cauliflower Room where clusters of calcite formations resemble the vegetable. The Grotte de Fontrabiouse cave's intricate passages were carved out by an underground river which is still present today forming small lakes in some of the chambers.

The formation of the cave passages and caverns by water is a process taking millions of years with a growth rate for the stalactites being typically below 0.26 mm/year as the dripping water deposits small amounts of calcite mineral.

Because the cave is underground the temperature is cool in the summer and warm in the winter being a stable 6 degrees Celsius all year round.

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Visiting Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave Visit

The cave gift shop sells a very nice sweet liquor called coucougnettes with the translation being balls testicles. I highly recommend getting a bottle or two.

Grotte Fontrabiouse Opening Times

2 December 2023 to 9 February 2024
• Monday to Friday: 14:00h to 17:00h
• Saturday & Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h
10 February 2024 to 31 May 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h
1 June 2024 to 30 June 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 18:00h
1 July 2024 to 1 September 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 19:00h
2 September 2024 to 15 September 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 18:00h
16 September 2024 to 29 September 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h
30 September 2024 to 18 October 2024
• Friday to Sunday: 14:00h to 17:00h
• Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
19 October 2024 to 3 November 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h
4 November 2024 to 4 December 2024
• Closed: All days
5 December 2024 to 20 December 2024
• Monday to Friday: 14:00h to 17:00h
• Saturday & Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h
21 December 2024 to 30 December 2024
• Monday to Sunday: 10:00h to 12:30h & 14:00h to 17:00h

Grotte Fontrabiouse Tickets

Tickets can be uniquely purchased via the official website with prices:

• Adult: €14.90
• Child (13-17 years): €9.40
• Child (5-12 years): €9.40
• Infant (under 5years) FREE
• Audio Guides (English, Spanish, Catalan, German): €1.50

Getting to Grotte Fontrabiouse Cave Visit

Address: Rue des soulanets, Fontrabiouse, France. 66210

Leave Barcelona via the C58 motorway passing Sabadell and Terrasa and transition onto the C16 passing Berga. Take the toll Tunnel de Cadí (€13.93 for a car) and after passing the toll booths at the northern end there is a service station Àrea de Servei Túnel del Cadí - Porta Cerdanya. immediately after the service station is junction onto the C162 towards Puigcerdà.

At Puigcerdà cross the border into France taking the N116 to Mont-Louis. At Mont-Louis roundabout, take the D118. The Grotte Fontrabiouse is Located on the D118 road between Puvalador and Formiguères, and 27km from Font-Romeu

The cave has ample free parking next to the surface building.

Where to stay overnight in the Weekend in French Pyrenees - Grotte Fontrabiouse