Caunhà de Bouisse

The entrance gallery is partly truncated by the cliff. One first encounters a low entrance followed by a sloping chamber. On the W side, a P 10 or a few small steps lead into a fairly vast chamber with a few side passages. This continues downward toward the S to -25m, where the dimensions diminish and this part ends in small choked galleries. The entrance chamber continues southward, where one can descend a few metres into the boulders.

The cavity is a witness to an ancient phase of karstification: the presence of vast galleries with a horizontal tendency perched at about 200 metres above the current base level represented by the Montjoi resurgence, and very close to the current surface of the plateau. The mode of excavation is not obvious, but the lack of domes, clay deposits and ledges suggests an evolution in a syngenetic environment, perhaps followed by a vadose phase. Following the abrupt lowering of the base level due to the incision of the Orbieu in its gorges, the cave is abandoned by the waters. a period of significant infilling follows (incasion due to relaxation phenomena: proximity of the surface) but does not appear to affect the entire cavity (entrance, point D at -16m, N gallery of the Cathares). There is certainly a resumption of vadose-type flows, responsible for some clearing and clay deposits in the lower zones. The water then abandons the conduits, leaving room for speleothem deposition. Currently, one can say that the cave is fossil.

The cave develops in Middle Devonian limestones: compact limestones with a light grey patina, grey when broken. The stratification is clearly visible throughout the cavity, with a direction of N 270° and a dip of about 55°.

From the landing, one climbs and crosses a curtain of speleothems. One emerges into a well-decorated chamber. The gallery, 30 metres long, rises and branches into small tubes in the calcite (-10m).

The cave is abandoned by the waters after the abrupt lowering of the base level due to the incision of the Orbieu in its gorges. There is certainly a resumption of vadose-type flows, responsible for some clearing and clay deposits in the lower zones; the water then abandons the conduits. Currently, the cave is fossil.

Let us return to the entrance. After a short climb, one reaches the second entrance; 20 metres further on the right is the third entrance, located in the cliff. a fine gallery 50 metres long (7m wide and 5-10m high) descends toward the N-W and is blocked by a flowstone (terminus of the known part). At the top of the flowstone, a small passage leads to a vast pit. 10 metres lower, a landing stops the descent, which continues via a sub-vertical P 15. One arrives in a semicircular chamber rapidly choked to the E and to the W. Toward the South, two passages lead, after a short narrowing, to a small low chamber. From the landing, climb and cross a curtain of speleothems. a descending gallery presents itself with, on the right, a small maze that joins the gallery of the Cathares. Straight ahead, one descends a few metres; small departure on the left: slope, R 3 and beginning of a choked gallery. The passage rises and one emerges into the gallery of the Cathares.

To the South, a climb leads to the high point of the cavity at +28m, which communicates with the P 10 in two places. The interstratal gallery is 50 metres long. One progresses on a floor of concretion-covered boulders fallen from the vault, piled over 15 to 20 metres in height, as attested by the lower galleries found there. This upper level is choked toward the N. Ten metres further on, via a flow of earth and pebbles probably coming from outside, the flow also spreads below into a joint that one reaches by descending between the boulders at + 20m. One emerges into a well-decorated chamber that continues southward for 30 metres while keeping good dimensions. Two climbs in the boulders allow one to reach the large overlying gallery. On the north side, the ceiling lowers and a vertical crawlway presents itself. Two metres below, one reaches a fine gallery 30 metres long that rises and branches into small tubes in the calcite (-10m), the point farthest from the entrance.