Fontaine de Vaucluse (zárva / closed)
Closed: the final path to the gouffre and the foot of the cliff have been shut for an indefinite period because of rockfall risk. France's most famous spring, the source of the Sorgue, has a deep-diving history from helmet divers in 1878 and Cousteau's 46 m in 1946 to Jochen Hasenmayer's 205 m in 1983 and Pascal Bernabé's 250 m in 1997; a robot finally touched bottom at about 308 m (315 m below the water level at the time). The town banned all diving in 1974; later dives were exploration projects, including archaeological work with the DRASSM.
Facts
- Region: France – Lot cave springs
- Area: Other southern springs
- Depth: 0–308 m
- Level: advanced
- Current: low
- Type: cave
- Coordinates: 43.917689, 5.13283 (approximate)
- Highlights: access to the gouffre and cliff foot closed indefinitely (rockfall risk), spring of the Sorgue, robot reached the bottom at about 308–315 m (1985/1989), divers: Cousteau 46 m (1946), Hasenmayer 205 m (1983), Bernabé 250 m (1997), metal boat wreck from 1878 at about 25 m, Roman-era coin deposits
- Closed / banned site: True
- Tips: Not diveable for visitors. Any project would need agreement from the commune and the Département (path owner); do not cross the barrier.