Grottes Pétrifiantes de Savonnières

File:GrottosSavonnières02.jpg

Les Grottes Pétrifiantes de Savonnières, also known as the caves gouttières,{{cite book|last=Molloy|first=James L.|title=Our autumn holiday on French rivers|year=1879|publisher=Roberts Brothers|location=Boston|page=250|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=79A9AAAAYAAJ&pg=250}} are two grottoes located in Savonnières, Indre-et-Loire, France.{{cite web|title=Les Grottes Pétrifiantes de Savonnières|url=http://www.grottes-savonnieres.com/|accessdate=15 September 2011}}

File:Les Grottes Pétrifiantes Gallo-Roman gravestones.jpg

The Romans were present in the caves, as evidenced by the discovery of pottery, manual mills, and a graveyard, with seven gravestones remaining.{{cite web|title=History of the "Grottes Pétrifiantes" de Savonnières|url=http://www.grottes-savonnieres.com/histo_an.htm|accessdate=22 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030812193916/http://www.grottes-savonnieres.com/histo_an.htm|archive-date=12 August 2003|url-status=dead}} The grottoes were mostly formed during the Middle Ages, the stone (tuffeau) being used to build châteaux. Centuries later, the caves were flooded with water, slowly creating new passages. They were visited by Bernard Palissy in 1547, and an extension (the second grotto) was discovered by a speleologist (Gilles) in 1947. In the 1960s, the grottoes were managed by their owner as to allow access to tourists. They were added to ANECAT (Association Nationale des Exploitants de Cavernes Aménagées pour le Tourisme), and have since become a popular tourist attraction.{{cite web|title=Les Grottes Pétrifiantes de Savonnières|url=http://www.villandry-tourisme.com/index.php?id_page=12&id_site=1|publisher=Villandry Tourisme|accessdate=22 April 2012|language=French}}

File:Les Grottes Pétrifiantes petrified objects.jpg

Objects are put under the grottoes' springs for six months to a year, which covers them in limestone, creating a "petrified" look.{{cite web|title=Museum-Shop|url=http://www.grottes-savonnieres.com/bout_an.htm|accessdate=22 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030812211842/http://www.grottes-savonnieres.com/bout_an.htm|archive-date=12 August 2003|url-status=dead}}

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