Grotte des Demoiselles

The Grotte des Demoiselles is a large cave located in the Hérault valley of southern France, near Ganges, about 60 km west of Nîmes. Its entrance is located on the territory of the commune of Saint-Bauzille-de-Putois.
Many legends and stories have been linked with the cave, the existence of which has been common knowledge in the Languedoc region since time immemorial. The best known legend tells of a shepherd looking for a lost lamb who wandered into the swallow hole that marked the entrance to the cave. He heard the lamb but could not see it, and so he continued deeper and deeper into the cave, until he reached the chamber now known as the cathédrale . With only a torch for light, he slipped and fell to the bottom of the chamber . Knocked senseless by the shock, he noticed—just before passing out—a group of young ladies dancing and singing around him. When he woke up, he was back on the surface with his lamb. The modern name of the cave, Grotte des Demoiselles reflects this legend; previously it had been known as the Grotte des Fées .

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