Aven des Pétales

The entrance, level with the ground and protected by a few bushes, measures roughly 1.5 metres in diameter. Avoid touching the east side, where stones mixed with earth threaten to fall.

After a short descent, you reach the entrance chamber, 10 metres long, 4 to 5 metres wide and 3 metres high, sloping and chaotic.

The arrival in the cliff chamber, which is entirely vertical, is via a landing that overlooks a 4-metre "cliff". At the back of the chamber, a short crawlway leads to a right-angled squeeze, described as a bayonet, but enlarged since.

The Danièle chamber is about ten metres long and its height, beneath a vast fault mirror, narrows progressively. The floor, sloping at 45 to 50°, is made of earth in the process of solidifying, coming from the neighbouring vineyard as confirmed by the presence of vine shoots. The earth inflows now appear to be blocked. From the low point two crawlways of 4 to 5 metres start, one towards the west and the other towards the north. The latter, named "boyau des Rats Taupiers" by the participants, low, narrow and winding, is the subject of a laborious dig. The total depth at this level is estimated at 45 metres.

The entrance was developed by the Entente Spéléologique du Roussillon group (year 2019). They placed a tube to prevent landslides, as well as a ladder covered with wire mesh. Inside the cavity there are a pair of ladders and fixed ropes, reaching a depth of -45 metres. A 20-metre rope is enough to secure the descent in a few sections.

The aven has the particularity of being accessible without a harness or vertical equipment. Everything is done by climbing/descending. For greater comfort you can bring a rope and a few slings.

Two routes are possible. 1- Chaos route: in the chamber, immediately to the left, through an enlarged squeeze, a P3 and a P5 full of steps, you reach by squeezing between blocks a sloping floor that leads, after stepping over a pit and via a squeeze, to the cliff chamber. 2- Direct route: in the chamber, at the back, then to the right, a pit widening into a small chamber ends at an enlarged squeeze opening onto a sloping pit arriving directly from above into the cliff chamber.

Using the rope can facilitate the descent of the 4-metre "cliff". After 4 metres of ramping you emerge into the Danièle chamber, named after the explorer who (re)discovered it after passing the original bayonet.

Nearby is the Aven des Amandiers.

You can find an old 2019 survey on the internet by searching for the name of the aven and open one of the two current pages. Draught felt at the bottom.

Sources: Entente Spéléologique du Roussillon (ESR) Aven des Pétales: https://blog.speleo-club-roussillon.fr/fiche-cavite/aven-des-p%C3%A9tales ; Wikiloc > AVEN DES PÉTALES (-45m). Opoul-Périllos, France: https://fr.wikiloc.com/itineraires-speleologie/aven-des-petales-45m-opoul-perillos-france-120945438