Highlights of the national meeting of caving enthusiasts in Dordogne

The 50th National Speleology Congress is taking place for the first time in Les Eyzies, from Saturday, June 7 to Monday, June 9. Several hundred enthusiasts are expected to discover exhibitions, workshops, caves, and conferences centered around karst.

This is the third time that the Dordogne department has hosted such an event, but it will be a first for the commune of Les Eyzies, in the Périgord Noir. After holding the National Speleology Congress in Périgueux in 1974 and 2006, the world capital of prehistory is hosting the 50th edition of the gathering of underground cave enthusiasts from Saturday, June 7 to Monday, June 9.

There are several reasons for this choice, starting with "the history and relationships between humanity and the underground environment," explains Quentin Laurent, president of the Dordogne Departmental Speleology Committee, whose headquarters are located in Les Eyzies. Another attractive factor: "the region's significant caving potential."

This year's theme, "the economic odyssey of the karst (1), from prehistory to the present day", also resonates with the territory.

Finally, the city has the infrastructure to accommodate a large audience, notably with the National Museum of Prehistory (MNP) and the Prehistory Interpretation Center (PIP). 700 to 800 members of the federation are expected, not to mention a more family-oriented audience who will be able to enjoy the many activities.

21 conferences and film screenings are in fact scheduled around the theme: "Tourist cave operators, karst industrialists, archaeologists, geologists, karst ecologists, topographers, photographers and speleologists will offer communications on their professions and know-how using their technical, digital tools", indicate the organizers (2), who have highlighted the screening of three films: "From speleological exploration to the discovery of the Chauvet cave", a testimonial film by Eliette Brunel, Saturday at 2 p.m. at the PIP and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the MNP; "Sakonerak, discovering speleology", by Brice Maestracci, Sunday at 11:15 a.m. in room 2 of the PIP; "The Last Passage", by Pascal Magontier, about the Chauvet cave, Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the PIP auditorium.

Several exhibitions are planned around underground progression equipment (in the hall), books (Post Office room) with the arrival of Belgian and Swiss bookstores, without forgetting the commission stands (at the Community of Communes).

A more seasoned public of speleologists has the option of visiting caves in the surrounding area: "26 will be open, 40 km of galleries are open to visitors," says Quentin Laurent. The federation's general assembly on Sunday will give rise to around fifteen internal meetings. Finally, children have not been forgotten: they will be able to leave their handprints on the fresco created by Ludovico Rodriguez Liaño, from Puente Viesgo (a Spanish town twinned with Les Eyzies), outside the PIP, on Saturday between 2 and 6 p.m.

Catering available on site.

(1) Limestone area taking the form of a plateau where the action of water digs (or has dug) caves and chasms.

(2) Registration under the school’s covered playground. More information on the website congres-ffs-leseyzies2025.fr .