Cave

Come and discover one of the most fabulous underground treasures of the French Riviera.
"Recommended by the Michelin guide* ... " Attestation of excellence 2014-2021 TripAdvisor.

1/ The origin of the cave
2/ The history of the discovery
3/ How the guided tour works
4/ Recommended attire
5/ Access to the domain
6/ Pets
7/ Where to park ?
8/ Good deals, group, school and company rates
9/ Educational tools

1/ The origin of the cave (Aven) of Saint Cezaire

6 million years ago, the cave was born, an unparalleled realm of the imaginary and the marvellous.

Discovered thanks to the providential digging of a farmer in 1890, it combines an exceptional wealth of concretions with fantastic shapes of surprising beauty.
Learn more about the history of the discovery by Léon DOZOL >

Discovery of the Aven

- The entire route is ideally laid out and secure: access to the galleries is from inside the cave building. Then, guided from room to room, the visitor will discover the spectacular underground landscapes of a grandiose universe, perfectly highlighted by appropriate and discreet lighting.

- In these depths, the extraordinary pink and purple colouring of the columns contributes to the magic of the place. The extraordinary beauty of an authentic nature is combined with imagination: bird with a majestic tail, stars, corals, jellyfish, a surprising skull and crossbones, not to mention an astonishing limestone skeleton.

- The tumultuous waters and the centuries have added the finishing touch. The chords of a magical keyboard of red organs embrace the visitor with deep emotion.

Drapery room

The Saint-Cézaire cave is located in the Grasse region, about fifteen minutes from the perfume capital. The guided tour, with commentary in French and English, takes place over 200 m, almost 40 m underground, on a pathway designed for easy access for the whole family.

- With 15°C, summer and winter, warm clothing is welcome and closed shoes are appropriate for the damp floor. The fabulous spectacle of the underground riches can be discovered from room to room: majestic draperies, grandiose stalactites, starry concretions, luminous jellyfish and a sound show on musical stalactites.

- On the site you have a large free car park, a path to discover the Mediterranean vegetation, a souvenir shop, an accrobranche play area and a large wooded park of 5 hectares. A restaurant open at lunchtime all year round offers Provençal flavours in a family-style cuisine.

2/ The History of Discovery

DISCOVERED ON 16 JUNE 1890

Léon Dozol the entrance to the cave

The Grotte de Saint-Cézaire was discovered in 1890 by a farmer who spotted a hole while clearing his field. As he dug deeper, a chasm appeared... Stairs were built to open the cave to visitors. In 1920, Charles Vanel's film Phroso, shot in the cave, contributed to its fame. The film's powerful spotlights revealed the transparency of the crystallizations. After 6 years of closure, the cave reopened in 1946 to the great pleasure of visitors who appreciated this unique site in the Alpes Maritimes.

Read the full story >

The domain's pavilion

360° VIRTUAL VISIT of the cave 

Complete immersion thanks to a virtual visit of the cave soon available.

3/ How does the guided tour work?

The guided tour lasts 40 minutes.
Please arrive 10 minutes before the tour time.
The number of people on the tour is between 2 and 25 maximum.
The languages spoken on the tour are English and French.
For other languages a leaflet will be given to you at the cash desk translated into : Italian - German - Spanish - Dutch - Polish - Russian - Swedish - Finnish ...

During the visit, please respect the rules at the entrance to the cave and follow the instructions given by the guide.

@credit www.rivieraloisirs.com

4/ Recommended clothing 

The temperature in the cave is always 15°C in winter and summer. Don't forget to take a warm piece of clothing.
Closed, non-slip shoes are highly recommended.

5/ Access to the Domain 

By car 

Go to 1481 Route des Grottes 06530 Saint Cézaire sur Siagne
Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur France

Public transport Bus or Train

• Getting to Grasse by bus or train
• take bus line B,
• get off at the Les grottes stop
• The entrance to the Domaine is 200 metres away on foot.

activities to do cave area

6/ Where to park? 

The estate has 3 free car parks on site, with a total capacity of 150 spaces

7/ Pets 

Pets are not allowed inside the cave building and in the cave.

8/ Good plan, group, school and company rates 

Good plan cave + discovery trail  

If you combine the visit of the cave with the discovery trail or the orienteering race, you get a discount of 1.50 per entry (offer 2023)
Rates for the visit of the cave + discovery trail or orienteering race: 

Adults 11,50euros
Children 8 euros

Group, company and school rates 

The Saint-Cezaire cave offers group rates from 20 people.

Adult : 7 euros
Teenagers College/School/Student: 6 euros
Children Kindergarten/Primary: 5 euros
Accompanying person: free entry for every 10 paying entries

Quotation and booking directly on the website.

9/ EDUCATIONAL TOOLS

Pedagogical documents covering the official SVT programmes are available in the tab useful information.

- A tool for students and teachers, as well as for those accompanying green classes. Each page of the file will find its place in the student's notebook.

- A lively, highly illustrated dossier, open to interactive practices while learning knowledge linked to the school curriculum. Photos, diagrams and a wide variety of questions will follow one another to develop the discovery before, during and after the visit, when returning to the classroom.

- The file includes a section for students and a full answer key to extend the educational activity from the visit. The answer key includes more scientific development to facilitate the link with the school curriculum.

- Each file is divided into several independent parts. This way, classes can organise their visit according to particular themes and times. Each page can be separated from the others and become a tool for individual or group work.