The Gouffre de Padirac (Padirac Chasm), in the Lot, can be visited from 28 March to 1 November 2026: a descent to 103 meters (338 ft) underground, then a boat ride on the underground river, for about 1 hour 30 minutes of visit. Adult entry costs €24 in high season and €20 in low season, and only online booking guarantees entry. The temperature there is a constant 13 °C (55 °F): we compared it, month by month, with the region’s highs so you know what to bring.
Padirac is 20 minutes from Rocamadour and 1 hour 10 minutes from Sarlat: it fits into a stay in the Périgord and the Dordogne valley, covered in our guide to visiting the Dordogne.
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Gouffre de Padirac: key facts
- Season: open from 28 March to 1 November 2026; closed the rest of the year — checked on 16 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com
- Hours: vary by day, from 9:30 am–5:30 pm (hours on 16 October 2026) to longer ranges in summer; last admission 1 hour 45 minutes before the site closes — checked on 16 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com
- Standard price 2026: adult €24 in high season, €20 in low season; child aged 4 to 12 €18 / €14; free under 4 — checked on 16 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com
- Booking: online booking strongly recommended (visit date and time); « only online booking guarantees entry », on-site tickets depending on remaining places — checked on 16 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com
- Time needed: about 1 hour 30 minutes, 2.2 km (1 mi) round trip including 500 m (1,640 ft) by boat
- Prices recorded on 16 October 2026 and subject to change: check before you go.
Tickets: official vs resellers
| 2026 rate | High season | Low season |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €24 | €20 |
| Over 12 and student | €22 | €18.50 |
| Child aged 4 to 12 (proof required) | €18 | €14 |
| Child under 4 | Free | Free |
| Preferential adult (visitor with a disability and companion, French Speleology Federation member, tour guide) | €22 | €18.50 |
| Preferential child 4–12 | €16 | €12 |
The official ticket office sells tickets with a visit date and time, up to 1 hour before the slot depending on availability. The site warns that the chasm is « often full » and strongly recommends buying online on long weekends and during French school holidays. ANCV Connect holiday vouchers (French chèques-vacances) are accepted online. For a stay, excursions from resellers sometimes include entry: check that they include a dated slot.
Destination de Voyage calculation: for a family of 2 adults and 2 children aged 4 to 12, the visit costs €84 in high season against €68 in low season, a difference of €16.
Opening hours and season
The chasm opens from 28 March to 1 November 2026. The official calendar assigns a time range to each day; its legend lists seven, from 9:30 am–5:30 pm to 7:30 am–10 pm, as well as an expected crowd level (average, high, very high with booking recommended, online tickets only). On 16 October 2026, the hours shown were 9:30 am–5:30 pm, last admission 3:45 pm.
Last admission is 1 hour 45 minutes before the site closes. End of the 2026 season according to the official calendar: 9:30 am–5:30 pm from 1 to 16 October, 9:30 am–6 pm from 17 to 31 October, 9:30 am–5:30 pm on 1 November, the last opening day; visit length of about 1 hour 30 minutes (checked on 18 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com). Check this calendar for your date: it is also where the very busy days appear, when only online tickets are sold.
Best time to visit: 13 °C underground
Underground, the temperature is a constant 13 °C (55 °F) all year according to the official website. On the surface, the gap with the afternoon can exceed 14 °C (25 °F) in summer. The table compares these 13 °C with the normal highs at Bergerac, the Météo-France station shown on our Dordogne page (Padirac is further east, on the limestone plateau: local values differ).
| Month | Surface max | Rain | Gap with the chasm (13 °C / 55 °F) | 2026 opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 15.7 °C (60 °F) | 53.7 mm (2.1 in) | +2.7 °C (+5 °F) | Open from the 28th |
| April | 18.2 °C (65 °F) | 76.1 mm (3.0 in) | +5.2 °C (+9 °F) | Open |
| May | 22.0 °C (72 °F) | 77.4 mm (3.0 in) | +9.0 °C (+16 °F) | Open |
| June | 25.5 °C (78 °F) | 63.2 mm (2.5 in) | +12.5 °C (+23 °F) | Open |
| July | 27.7 °C (82 °F) | 57.0 mm (2.2 in) | +14.7 °C (+26 °F) | Open |
| August | 27.9 °C (82 °F) | 61.5 mm (2.4 in) | +14.9 °C (+27 °F) | Open |
| September | 24.4 °C (76 °F) | 66.2 mm (2.6 in) | +11.4 °C (+21 °F) | Open |
| October | 19.8 °C (68 °F) | 65.2 mm (2.6 in) | +6.8 °C (+12 °F) | Open |
| November | 13.7 °C (57 °F) | 76.2 mm (3.0 in) | +0.7 °C (+1 °F) | Open on the 1st only |
How to read it: in July and August you go from almost 28 °C (82 °F) to 13 °C (55 °F) in a few minutes; a sweater or light jacket is enough, with closed shoes for the damp, slippery floor. In April, May and October the gap is small, but these months are among the rainiest: the underground visit then remains a sheltered outing. On crowds, the site itself flags long weekends and French school holidays as periods to plan for.
How the visit works
- Welcome and handing out of the multimedia audioguide (7 languages for adults, 4 for children, from age 4).
- Descent into the 75 m (246 ft) deep shaft, by lift or on the stairs, to 103 m (338 ft) underground; about 70 steps remain to reach the river.
- Boat ride with a boatman-guide, at the foot of the Grande Pendeloque, a stalactite 60 m (197 ft) high.
- Continue on foot to the Lac des Gours and the Salle du Grand Dôme, whose vault rises to 94 m (308 ft) (about 150 steps up and 150 down, optional).
- Back up, with a possible break at the Auberge, the Buvette or a picnic in the wooded park (allowed).
Explorer Evenings (Soirées Explorateurs), by lantern and in small groups, as well as private visits are offered on certain evenings: see the official website.
Distances to Rocamadour, Sarlat and Lascaux
| From Padirac to | Driving time (official website) | Straight-line distance |
|---|---|---|
| Rocamadour | 20 minutes (D673) | 12.3 km (8 mi) |
| Sarlat-la-Canéda | 1 h 10 (D703) | 42 km (26 mi) |
| Lascaux IV (Montignac) | not given | 51 km (32 mi) |
| Brive | 55 minutes (D720) | — |
| Figeac | 45 minutes (D840) | — |
| Cahors | 1 h (D807 and D820) | — |
A typical day pairs Padirac in the morning with Rocamadour in the afternoon. Lascaux, further west, combines better with Sarlat: see our page on the Lascaux cave.
Getting there
- Car: the chasm’s car parks are free (municipal car parks are paid) — checked on 16 October 2026 on gouffre-de-padirac.com
- Train: Gramat TER station 15 minutes away, Rocamadour-Padirac station 20 minutes, Brive station 55 minutes (driving time).
- Summer coaches: line 876 from Figeac station and line 877 from Souillac station, €2 per trip; weekends in June and September, then every day in July and August.
- Plane: Brive-Dordogne Valley airport, 45 minutes away.
Accessibility, children and pets
The accessibility page is clear: the route is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. Three lifts ease the descent, but 70 steps remain compulsory to reach the river. The boat crossing can be done without the rest of the galleries. Priority access for holders of a disability card and pregnant women (report to reception 5 minutes before departure). The welcome pavilion, shop, restrooms and the Auberge are accessible; guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted. Young children are carried in baby carriers; pets are not allowed.
Common mistakes (official rules)
- Turning up without a ticket in summer or on a long weekend: on some days, only online tickets are sold.
- Arriving late: last admission is 1 hour 45 minutes before closing.
- Coming in summer clothes: a constant 13 °C (55 °F) and a damp floor.
- Bringing a stroller: the site is not stroller accessible.
- Using a flash or a selfie stick: flash is banned throughout the visit, selfie sticks are banned across the site; no photos during the boat ride.
- Bringing your dog: not allowed; the site lists nearby kennels.
- Planning a visit between November and March: the chasm is closed.
What to see nearby
Rocamadour is 20 minutes away. In the Périgord Noir, the Lascaux cave and Sarlat complete an underground and medieval stay described in our guide to things to do in the Dordogne. For more ideas in France: travel to France.
A little history: Martel and the underground river
The chasm had long been known to locals, but it was the caver Édouard-Alfred Martel who explored the underground river from 1889. In 1898, with the patron Georges Beamish, he created the Société d’exploitation du gouffre de Padirac, and the site was opened to visitors on 10 April 1899. Exploration continued in the 20th century well beyond the part that can be visited.
The official website has put the « Padiracothèque » online, a collection of more than 1,500 documents gathered since 1889 (photos, exploration archives), useful for preparing the visit with children.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter the Gouffre de Padirac?
In 2026, €24 for an adult in high season and €20 in low season; €18 / €14 for a child aged 4 to 12; free under 4 (recorded on 16 October 2026 on the official website).
Do you need to book the Gouffre de Padirac?
It is strongly recommended: the site says only online booking guarantees entry, and on some very busy days tickets are sold online only.
When is the Gouffre de Padirac open?
From 28 March to 1 November 2026, with hours that vary by day. It is closed in winter.
What is the temperature in the Gouffre de Padirac?
13 °C (55 °F) all year according to the official website. Bring a warm layer and shoes suited to a damp floor.
Is the Gouffre de Padirac wheelchair accessible?
No: the route is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers; 70 steps remain compulsory despite the lifts.
Who discovered the Gouffre de Padirac?
The caver Édouard-Alfred Martel explored the underground river from 1889; the site has been open to visitors since 1899.
Our sources
- Gouffre de Padirac (gouffre-de-padirac.com): dates and hours, 2026 individual prices, getting to Padirac, accessibility, your questions, consulted on 16 October 2026
- Météo-France: 1991–2020 normals, Bergerac-Roumanière station, taken from our Dordogne page
- Wikidata: coordinates of the Gouffre de Padirac (Q1540116), Rocamadour, Sarlat and Lascaux IV
- Gouffre de Padirac (gouffre-de-padirac.com): home page and Padiracothèque, consulted on 16 October 2026; Wikipedia: « Gouffre de Padirac » article (Martel’s explorations, operating company, 1899 opening), consulted on 16 October 2026
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.