Stalactite cave and subterranean river

Overview

Hint

Vallorbe

Canton of Vaud
Contact

Grottes de Vallorbe SA
Chemin de la Résurgence 1
1337 Vallorbe
Phone +41 (0)21 843 22 74
grottesdevallorbe.ch

Intro

The River Orbe created a fascinating cave system at the Vaudois town of Vallorbe. The tour leads visitors along the subterranean course of the Orbe (an outflow from the Vallée de Joux), passing by stalactites, stalagmites, drip-stone formations, columns and galleries. Once upon a time fairies that charmed young men were supposed to have lived here.

Ten million years ago Switzerland was still an ocean. The ocean deposited enormous quantities of lime at Vallorbe. Over a long period of time, the river Orbe gradually dug itself a subterranean bed in the limestone. An intriguing cave world was thereby formed, which could only be reached by divers before it was opened up to tourists in the 1970s.

Today artificially created passages, stairs and galleries lead down to the dripstone caves, which the local inhabitants also call Fairy Caves. For once upon a time fairies were said to have lived here and bewitched young men. For this reason an exhibition of 250 minerals, which can be viewed in four artificial caves, has been called "The Fairies' Treasure Trove".

Opening times

Daily from April to October, weekends in March and November

General information

Show Technical information content
Season	March - November
Time required	1-2 hours
Suitable for children with age	0 to 5 years, 6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years, 14+ years
Suitable for	Children, Families, Groups, Individual, Women only, Couples
Weather	Indoor
Category	Education, Adventure, Nature