To the Bat cave!

After yesterdays relaxing time it’s now time for an activity. Our first real one this holiday.
Despite the absurd temperatures (we’re getting nearer and nearer 40C) we took the car and drove to a village 90 kilometers to the south, to Baume les-Messieurs.

During the one and a half hour drive we passed through several villages and enjoyed the French countryside from within our cool, temperature regulated 21 C car. Most of the villages were still decorated with green, yellow and red dotted shirts because our route was one of last weeks routes of the Tour de France. We also saw lots of names written on the streets.

We arrived around 13.00 pm and went for a stroll through the village. A very small village dominated by an abbey called L’Abbaye Impériale which we visited of course.
After that we ended up in a small restaurant where we ordered cool Oranginas and two huge salads we shared with the four of us.

After the lunch break it was time to go back to the car, time to go to the Bat cave!
Or in other words, to Les Grottes de Baume.
We arrived after a 5 minutes drive and bought tickets. We were going to visit caves during a 1 hour guided tour. Interesting to see but also a welcome escape from the heat. In the caves there is a constant temperature of 11C.
After buying the tickets we had to wait for while, the tour would start at 15.30 so we had another drink/ice cream at the terrace. 

Once inside we saw several caves nicely illuminated, some of them inhabited by at least 8 species of (rare) bats. Sometimes we had to go through small and low passages but most of the time it was an easy walk. Our tour guide (who sold me the drinks and ice creams just before) talked a lot, but since she did that all in French, most of her undoubtedly interesting information wasn’t picked up by us.

When we came out again the heat was also back, so we hurried back to the car and went the 90 km north this time. We could skip the waterfall near the caves. It wasn’t worth visiting unfortunately because it had dried up recently. All we saw from a distance were green dry rocks.


Later in the evening I flew my drone for the first time here. Next to the camping is a large field, the perfect place to fly around. I made some nice photos of the village Ornans and the surrounding area.