The visit, step by step
Step 1: Introduction
Welcome, intrepid explorers, to this fascinating archaeological adventure in the "Grotte de Volvic". The archaeologists who are going to guide you are eager to share their enigmatic discoveries with you.
These researchers have discovered ancient cave inscriptions and frescoes hidden deep in the earth.
We invite you to join them as they uncover the mysteries buried in the heart of the cave.
Throughout your adventure, you’ll be guided on a quest to discover the secrets of this exceptional geological site. A distinctive sound announces the start of each stage of your exploration.
But before you start, be warned: this is a protected archaeological site where a few rules must be observed.
All adventurers must stay on the marked paths, and although photos are permitted, they must not be taken with a flash, as this could damage the rock paintings and, at the same time, the clues.
Don’t touch anything – these ancient remains have survived for thousands of years, and it’s important to preserve them.
The cave is dark, so stay close together and watch where you put your feet.
Follow the path as it presents itself, don’t run back and don’t go beyond the authorised limits, otherwise, you’ll get lost in this underground maze.
We invite you to enter the cave, where your tour begins, at the dawn of a mystery that has spanned the ages…
Step 2: the Cave of Lights
Here you are in the cave, where the stone breathes and the first drawings come to life.
You meet Volvis, a magical otter, a lonely guardian who haunts these places and reveals the secrets of the past. She is as surprised to see you as you are to meet her. She begins to tell you her story and that of the place you have just entered.
Once, this cavern was home to an underground lake, and every corner of it was filled with perfect harmony.
But a great earthquake changed everything. Follow Volvis carefully as she invites you to visit what remains of this once flourishing realm. The glow of an abyssal blue illuminates your path, while the frescoes immerse you in the history of the mystical cave.
Step 3: Volvis, the Sacred Otter
You are taken to the place where the landslide occurred during the great earthquake. Volvis is faced with a major problem: the rocks are preventing the water from dancing freely through the cave.
In this half-submerged corner of the cave, Volvis has been trying to move the rocks for ages, but to no avail. To join her friends and free the stream, she asks for your help.
Your presence seems to give Volvis strength. This strength enables the passage to be unblocked and the water to flow again.
Let's find Volvis’s friends!
Step 4: the nebula & Orion
An ever-changing nebula lights up the vault of the cave. Can you decipher the stars?
You are invited to take a seat on the bleachers, and all the parietal frescoes will light up before your eyes, mingling into the celestial vault.
Volvis is delighted to see the world awakening again.
Volvis finds her friend Orion, a majestic owl who must be awakened to go with you on your quest for water.
Once awakened, Orion, in an aerial ballet of colours and celestial symbols, reveals the cave. A dazzling array of flora and fauna emerges in its wake.
Let yourself be carried away by this spellbinding choreography and watch the dazzling rebirth of the cave.
Step 5: Illumina
You are immersed into the heart of Orion’s realm, where the brilliant light transforms the cave into a celestial spectacle.
Bioluminescent butterflies dance through the air, revealing a fantastic plant landscape as Orion goes on his celestial dance.
Step 6: Vegetalis
In this plant sanctuary, light and water intermingle, giving life to a luxuriant natural world.
Volvis and Orion are dazzled by the sight of Vegetalis. They are almost all reunited, but still someone seems to be missing… The Spirit of Water is still away.
Perhaps he is hiding behind the stone wall that was not there at first ? Vegetalis rears up with impetus and breaks through the wall that separates them from the sacred spring and their last companion.
Drums are heard… Volvis, Orion and Vegetalis continue their quest in search of the Spirit of Water and invite visitors to do the same.
Step 7: The Spirit of Water
The three guardians – Volvis, Orion and Vegetalis – are in search of the Spirit of Water. They join forces to make him appear.
At last, the Spirit of Water appears! Thanks to his power, he restores harmony to this enchanted realm. Released from the rock, he illuminates the cave with his radiance and disappears. Lapilli, the guardian of the Awakening of the Volcano of Lemptégy, appears stealthily.
The realm is blooming again. You can now go back to the surface with the pride of having restored harmony to the Cave of Lights.
Goodbye, and thank you for your bravery and dedication to this ancestral sanctuary.
