Abîme de Bramabiau

The Abîme de Bramabiau and the River of Happiness

Situated in the Aigoual massif, the Abîme de Bramabiau – an underground river – is an essential listed natural site in the Gard department.
The abyss where the underground river rises, surprises by its impressive dimensions: up to 70 metres high.
The exploration of the abyss by E A Martel on 27 and 28 June 1888 ushered in the era of great speleological discoveries. The Bramabiau abyss was discovered at the same time as Aven Armand and Grotte de Dargilan.
These 3 natural sites, between the Gard and Lozère regions, are all within 30 minutes of each other.
The Abîme de Bramabiau takes its name from the Occitan “Bramabuòu” or “bellowing ox” because of the sound made by the gushing water, similar to a bovine moan.
In fact, when the water level is high (in spring), the waterfall can be 10 m high.

Guided tour of the Bramabiau abyss and its underground river

The guided tour lasts around an hour and covers a distance of around 1km, enabling you to discover the hypogean course of the Martel river and its large galleries, which have been tapped by erosion.
On the way back through a tunnel dating from 2005, you can see dinosaur footprints and an easy return.