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Résurgence de Crégols

📍 Crégols · France

A distinctive cave-diving site in the Lot with a short first sump, a physical dry intermediate section and a deep second sump.

© Ron Freijer
🏛️ DepartmentLot (46)
📍 LocationCrégols
↕ Max. depthca. -48 m
↔ Development620 m (1998)
🗺️ TopoView maps ↓

Character of Crégols

Crégols is not a cave where you simply make a long underwater penetration from the entrance. The transition between the first and second sump largely defines the character of the dive.

Historical documentation describes a short first sump, followed by a spacious dry gallery and then Sump 2. The exploration report also mentions a step of about 5 metres in the boulder choke after S1. The second sump was historically explored for approximately 450 metres, with a long deep section around -47 to -48 metres. The published overview from this exploration phase gives a total development of 620 metres, of which 500 metres are underwater.

Field experience freijer.eu: after S1 there is a substantial climb and equipment has to be moved. Sidemount is therefore strongly recommended and, in our experience, the most suitable configuration in practice.
DPV: strongly discouraged. Taking a scooter beyond S1 is highly impractical because of the climb and equipment transport through the dry intermediate section.

The spring is part of a captured water-supply system. The municipality of Crégols states that the springs near the village are used to supply drinking water to 23 municipalities and describes the main spring as an internationally known cave-diving site for experienced divers.

Explore this location

🗺️ Topography Résurgence de Crégols

The drawings below document different parts and exploration phases of the Crégols system. They are presented here as historical topographic sources; the development shown does not necessarily correspond to the complete current knowledge of the system.

Historische topo La Gourgue Crégols

La Gourgue – Crégols: plan, profile and cross-section of the entrance zone. The supplied drawing states: “D’après M.M.C. Martin et P.-J. Debras”.

Historische ontwikkelde doorsnede Crégols Siphon 2

Coupe développée: Siphon 2 450 m / -48 m; Dév. 620 m dont 500 noyés. Explorations: M. Chocat, F. Gauthier, R. Gillet, S. Guignard, D. Henry, J.-M. Lebel, D. Nau, L. Osvald en F. Vasseur. Topographie: S.G. (exondé), J.M.L. (S1, S2), F.V. (coupes). Report dessin: J.M.L. – 1998.

Copyright: the topographies are historical source materials. freijer.eu claims no copyright on the original topographic content or drawings. Source and author credits have been retained.

🗺️ Location

Crégols, France

ℹ️ Practical information

🚗 ParkingMax. ±2 cars on the narrow sandy track. Passing is not possible, so preferably use these spaces with cars from the same dive team and take the order of arrival and departure into account.
🚶 Walking distance±25 m from the car to the cave.
🌊 AccessVia the resurgence. After S1, a dry intermediate section with a substantial climb leads towards S2.
⚙️ ConfigurationSidemount strongly recommended. The short S1, the climb and equipment transport between S1 and S2 make a compact configuration very practical.
⚠️ ParticularitiesAfter S1 there is a physical dry/climbing section towards S2; moving equipment through this intermediate section requires extra attention.
🏛️ PermissionNo current formal diving permit was confirmed in the sources consulted. Check current local arrangements before diving and respect the drinking-water abstraction.
🛵 DPVStrongly discouraged. Transporting a DPV through the dry/climbing section after S1 is highly impractical.

📚 Sources & references

Practical information on parking, walking distance, configuration and DPV is based on our own experience on site. Cave conditions, access and local arrangements can change; always check them before a dive.