We came across the Grottes de Vallorbe on our way to the Gorges de Nozon. We saw the signposts and decided to go there instead and were very glad we did.
When we arrived there was a spacious car park with basic toilets. It’s a ten minute walk next to the river to reach the entrance of the grottes.
Entrance costs CHF 15.- for adults and free for children under 6 from a little shop at the top which also sells delicious cheese made in the grottes.
“Jude was really excited to press the buttons which illuminate the natural sculptures and we came across lovely natural pools, fast rushing rivers and a spectacular open space which was beautifully lit and very atmospheric.”
We were a bit anxious when we saw that the temperature in the grottes was about 10°c as we were wearing shorts and thin jumpers but actually it was okay although I would have been happy to have had some trousers on.
The grottes themselves were a wonderful experience. Jude was really excited to press the buttons which illuminate the natural sculptures and we came across lovely natural pools, fast rushing rivers and a spectacular open space which was beautifully lit and very atmospheric.
In terms of ease of negotiating the caves, it was pretty straightforward. We went with Jude on foot and Elio and Alba in carriers in our backs. There were quite a few steps (some rather narrow) and it was a bit slippery in places but there were handrails everywhere so not a problem. I think there was only one point where Jean had to duck to accommodate the baby carrier.
At the end of the grottes there are a couple of small rooms displaying some of the previous stones found within which Jude loved. We were delighted at how the experience captured his imagination and he was talking about dinosaurs and creatures lurking within.
That done we settled down for our picnic. There were two large clean wooden tables provided for this just outside the exit of the grottes above the river. The only drawback was that Jean had to make the trip back to the car to get our cooler bag but it was a reasonable spot to eat and there were more toilets next to the little shop.
After lunch we decided to explore the Grotte de Fées - which was free access and apparently worth a visit. This was a fairly tough trek up a steep path and we were really disappointed when we got there, hot and panting to find one large somewhat underwhelming cave. I think we had expected some kind of magical cavern so the reality was a bit of a disappointment. Anyway the trek was good exercise and we moved on to our next adventure.
Information
Grottes de Vallorbe
Chemin de la Résurgence 1 1
1337 Vallorbe
Only open between 1st March to 30 November
Parking : Yes
Toilets : Yes
Baby Change Facilities : No
Accessibility : Not possible with a pushchair
Website : https://grottesdevallorbe.ch/