📷 Photos
The image was digitally recreated using AI. Details may differ from the original photograph.
🏛️ DépartementDordogne (24)
📍 CommuneLa Cassagne
🅿️ Parking—
↕ Max. depth≈ −65 m
↔ Explored5,675 m (2002)
🗺️ TopoExternal survey ↓
Character of Doux de Coly
Doux de Coly is a karst spring near La Cassagne in the Dordogne. Beyond the spring lies an exceptionally long, fully submerged cave passage. This is a historic exploration site, not a freely accessible recreational dive site.
The first few hundred metres are relatively shallow. After about 275 metres, a shaft descends to approximately 65 metres depth. The passage then rises and falls over several kilometres. In 2002, Reinhard Buchaly and Michael Waldbrenner reached 5,675 metres from the entrance, the furthest documented point confirmed by the sources used here.
Exploration dates back to the 1950s. Olivier Isler made major advances during the 1980s and 1990s; EKPP expeditions in 2001 and 2002 extended the known distance. Extreme penetration, depth, lengthy decompression and variable visibility make this a highly specialised exploration cave.
Photos & videos
▶ Videos
▶
No media available yet
🗺️ Doux de Coly survey
Click the image to enlarge the survey.
🔍 Enlarge surveyEnhanced reconstruction based on the historic Doux de Coly expedition survey (1991), originally credited “Topographie: Tom”. Digitally redrawn and colourised using AI for improved readability. This is not an exact reproduction or a verified dive survey; details, labels and scale may differ. Not for dive navigation.
🗺️ Location
La Cassagne, Dordogne
ℹ️ Practical information
🚗ParkingNo confirmed official diver parking.
🚶Walking distanceNot established.
🌊AccessPrivate property; no public access. Obtain explicit permission from the owner or manager beforehand.
⚙️EquipmentHistorical expeditions used rebreathers and DPVs; this is not equipment advice.
⚠️ConditionsVisibility, flow and water levels can vary considerably; complex decompression.
🏛️PermissionCurrent permission process unconfirmed. Historical dive reports do not imply access rights.
🛵DPVUsed historically; current permission unconfirmed.
📚 Sources & attribution
- FFS / Plongée souterraine – Doux de Coly — historical exploration, cave description and surveys.
- Michael Waldbrenner – Doux de Coly (GUE) — expedition account.
Distances and depths are historical exploration data, not current dive conditions. Verify access and permission locally.