Bramabiau Abyss

In the heart of the Valley of Happiness, in the Cévennes National Park

In the Cévennes, not far from the Gorges and the Grands Causses, discover the majestic abyss of Bramabiau from which rises its underground river of happiness….

Getting there

All about

Bramabiau abyss

The Bramabiau abyss

Straddling the Lozère and Gard departments, theBramabiau abyss is located in the Gard commune of Saint-Sauveur Camprieu. It’s a cavity from which emerges an underground river, the rivière du bonheur. Its name comes from the Occitan “brame de bœuf” (ox bellow ), due to the sound made by the gushing water, very similar to a bovine rail. The site lies equidistant between the heart of the Gorges du Tarn and Mont Aigoual, at the bottom of a canyon through which flows the Bonheur river. This then divides into various streams on either side of the département.

Discovery of the abyss

Édouard-Alfred Martel was responsible for the discovery of the Bramabiau abyss in September 1884, at the same time as he discovered the famous Dargilan cave and Aven Armand. It was only 2 years later that he succeeded in traversing the entire 1.3 km length of the abyss, accompanied by a team of experienced speleologists. In 1983, three speleologists carried out a complete topography of the site in various labyrinthine galleries, which they named the “Félix-Mazauric network “. Numerous traces of human and animal life were found in the abyss. Today, for example, we can observe up close dinosaur footprints dating back over 200 million years.

Edouard Alfred Martel, father of 19th-century speleology, explores the Dargilan and Aven Armand caves

Abime De Bramabiau in the heart of the Massif de l'Aigoual

Tourism

In 1925, the Abyss was opened to the public andAimé Cazal, a site administrator, launched the first tourist promotion campaigns. The aim was to introduce the local population and holidaymakers to the site, with a view to enhancing its heritage. Today, Bramabiau is classified as a DIREN site by the Occitanie region, due to its conservation of the site’s prehistoric network. Absolute control is maintained at all times to avoid any natural or man-made degradation.

Visit the Bramabiau abyss

Right in the heart of the Cévennes National Park, come and discover this unique combination of rock and water.

After a one-kilometer descent through the forest, you’ll reach the foot of a karst retreat 70 to 120 meters high. This is where the underground exploration of the 11 kilometers of listed networks begins…

All about

l'Abîme de Bramabiau

in the Grands Causses

How do I get to Bramabiau Abyss?
Located in the south of France, in the Occitanie region, l’Abîme de Bramabiau is in the heart of the Cévennes National Park:
- 25 mins from Meyrueis
- 50 mins from Le Rozier / La Malène
- 1 hour from Millau / Sainte-Enimie
- 1H15 from Massegros
- 1h30 from Mende / La Canourgue
- 2 hours from Rodez
How long does it take to visit Bramabiau Abyss?
The tour lasts around an hour, during which you’ll cover 1km of the 11km of listed underground networks.