Font Estramar (TILOS / no diving)
Diving is not permitted: the owners of the spring pool withdrew all diving permission, and the municipal ban issued in 1955 after the death of J.-C. Guiter was never repealed. This brackish resurgence at Salses-le-Château feeds the Étang de Leucate and is the deepest resurgence explored by divers – Xavier Méniscus reached -286 m in 2019 and -312 m in January 2024. Nine fatal accidents have occurred, the latest in January 2026.
Facts
- Region: France – Lot cave springs
- Area: Other southern springs
- Depth: 0–312 m
- Level: advanced
- Current: low
- Type: cave
- Coordinates: 42.858611, 2.958889
- Highlights: deepest resurgence explored by divers (-312 m, 2024), brackish water feeding the Étang de Leucate, nine fatal diving accidents, landowners withdrew permission; 1955 municipal ban never repealed, first dived by Cousteau and Tazieff in the 1950s
- Closed / banned site: True
- Tips: Do not dive. The FFESSM Pyrénées-Méditerranée cave commission took over talks on a possible access agreement; check with the town hall of Salses-le-Château.