Grottes de Blanot

The Blanot Caves (Grottes de Blanot) form an underground cave system in the Burgundian village of Blanot, in the Saône-et-Loire department, roughly midway between Cluny and Tournus. Tucked at the foot of Mont Saint-Romain in the Mâconnais hills, they are one of only two show caves open to visitors in the whole department, alongside the caves of Azé.

Who discovered the caves?

Locals once knew the site simply as La Cavernière. The cave-chasm was discovered and first explored in 1739 by Doctor Dumolin, a physician from Cluny and an early pioneer of speleology in the region. Since 1959 the site has belonged to the commune of Blanot, which still owns and runs it today as a local tourist attraction.

What will you see underground?

The visitor route descends more than 80 metres below the surface, following roughly 650 steps down into a sprawling network of galleries and chambers shaped by water over thousands of years. One chamber, known as the Grotto of the Dead, stands out for its dense cluster of stalactites and stalagmites. Inside, the temperature stays steady between 10 and 13°C year-round, and the deeper passages shelter colonies of bats along with rare insects adapted to life without light.

What is the guided tour like?

Visits are guided and take about an hour, following a loop that leads down into the system and back up again. Guides cover both the history of the discovery and the wildlife living inside. The caves open seasonally, mainly from spring through summer: weekends and public holidays earlier in the season, then daily throughout July and August. For visitors who want a more active experience, evening caving outings are organised on Fridays during the season.

What has changed recently?

Between late 2023 and early 2024, the commune of Blanot carried out a full renovation of the lighting throughout the chambers, making the rock formations easier to see and the visit more comfortable overall.

FAQ

Where exactly are the Blanot Caves? In the village of Blanot, Saône-et-Loire department, at the foot of Mont Saint-Romain, between Cluny and Tournus, in Burgundy.

How long does the visit take? A guided tour lasts about one hour.

How deep does the tour go? The route descends more than 80 metres below ground, via around 650 steps.

Is there wildlife inside the caves? Yes — the caves shelter bat colonies and rare insects adapted to life in total darkness.

When are the caves open to visitors? Seasonally, mainly from spring through summer, with daily opening in July and August and weekend/holiday opening earlier in the season.