Grotte de la Balme d'Epy
This picturesque site, the resurgence of an underground stream, is ideal for picnics and lazing around!
A little background information... A 4th-century burial site unearthed nearby, along with pottery, has confirmed that the site has been a place of Druid worship since ancient times. A cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary can be seen at the entrance, and a small chapel stands opposite the grotto.
The site was a place of pilgrimage in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Sainte Fontaine de la Balme cave, which flows into the Suran river, was honoured in ancient times. At the entrance to the grotto was a wooden pyramid with a niche containing a statue of the Virgin adorned with ribbons.
A procession took place from Epy church to the grotto every year on 15 August. A pilgrimage is still organised every year on the same date. From a speleological point of view, the visit to the cave is a short one, with speleologists equipped for diving only able to progress 170 m!
As a reserve project is under way to protect bats, we would ask you to respect the peace and quiet of the site. It is also strictly forbidden to enter the cave.
