Rendezvous in the Caves

See also : The European project CavesNetwork

Rendezvous in the Caves

UPDATE: 2011 edition, June 18-19!

A first: Open house weekend of visits to cave habitations and enterprises.

For several years the CATP has been planning an event promoting our region's cave heritage. To this end, with an eye to acquainting the public at large with this defining feature of our region as well as to respond to the needs of cave owners, we are organizing a weekend of "open caves".

How to participate :

• If you're willing to open your cave:

Those living in caves or with caves on their property that they would like to open, associations (especially those rehabilitating an underground site), tourist sites, local communities, artisans and enterprises in caves should get in touch with the CATP.

• To become a volunteer:

Individuals or associations, you can help us get this project going in the départements of Maine-et-Loire and Indre-et-Loire.

Contact the CATP by clicking on Contact Us
or call 02 41 67 13 12

Specifics of the event "Rendezvous in the Caves":

For one weekend, cave sites will be open to the public, including many sites which are not normally open. The goal is to include a representative sample of forms, functions, and uses for caves whether from yesteryear or today: habitations (primary or secondary), wine caves, mushroom caves, storerooms, chapels, museums, farms, accommodations, restaurants, meeting rooms, dovecotes, workshops...

The weekend will include:

• A chance to meet and talk wth professionals, permitting the public to discover or expand their knowledge of the world of cave dwellings.
• Visits of sites aimed at the public.
• Specialists to talk about technical issues surrounding caves.
• Exhibits and information on our cave heritage at various information stands and hospitality deskst.
• Activities for school groups

Why?

Cultural Benefits:

• to acquaint the public with our cave heritage, its importance for the Loire Valley's character, its diversity
• to bring together residents of the Loire Valley around their common history and identity
• to bring cave homes into the light of day by demonstrating their contemporary dimension (as ecological habitations) showing where conventional wisdom around this habitation is wrong when it labels them "dark & dank"

Keeping our heritage alive:

• show examples of successful rehabilitation, thus responding to the questions of cave owners
• showcase pilot rehabilitation projects, as well as student projects to show how much can be done in the way of renewal
• make known local enterprises that specialize in reinforcement and rehabilitation of caves, that have acquired an unmatched level of technical know-how
• inspire new rehabilitation projects
• encourage thought about the evolution of underground sites

Benefits to the tourist sector:

• publicize a new area of tourism in the Loire Valley
• create an event for visitors on an inter-regional scale
• promote existing tourist sites (things to see, lodgings, restaurants)
• make known the support available for projects having to do with cave tourism, initiated by the Conseils Généraux for départements 49 and 37 as well as the Conseil Régional du Centre
• inspire new tourist-oriented projects, by making individuals and municipalities aware of the potential of cave tourism

Institutional and social-networking benefits:

• bring together different sectors around a far-reaching and participative project
• form a network of participants in the underground world, whether they're public, private, or organizational
• build exchanges between cave dwellers and groups promoting interpersonal and intercommunal solidarity
• contribute to the development of a French resource center on cave dwellings

Our partners:

The eligibility of our project under the Plan Loire Grandeur Nature enables us to enjoy the support of the Centre and Pays de la Loire regions via the regional Councils, the DRAC and the Comités Régionaux du Tourisme, the départements of Maine-et-Loire and Indre-et-Loire represented by the Conseils Généraux and the Comités départementaux du Tourisme, municipalities as well as inter-regional structures such as the Parc Naturel Loire-Anjou-Touraine and the Mission Val de Loire UNESCO.

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