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If, like myself, you are not a religious person (much the opposite in my case), the world famous pilgrimage spot of Lourdes, lying by the Pyrinées in the South of France will most likely, tend to dissapoint you. It does have some rural charm, as many other villages in this area, but the incense reeking little town of Lourdes does not have much to impress me: most of the area around the sanctuary is occupied by either homes for the sick and para-clinic church compounds or lots of shops selling religious merchandising and paraphernalia, where the best seller items are plastic bottles to carry water from the Holy Spring (if that is your cup of tea), often shaped like the Virgin Mary or other catholic icons, at the amazing price of 6 dollars for a 25 cc. (empty) flask! Having said this, if you have to go to Lourdes by any particular reason, including faith, or are passing by on your way somewhere else, there is, close by, an attraction which I do encourage you all to pay a visit to: the Betharram Grottos. This place is beautiful, instructive, cool and fun.I went to this place in my very first trip as courier guide: my bus driver convinced me to offer it as an optional trip to the party. Now, optional trips are cool for a guide because , unless already negotiated otherwise within our poor wages by the agency, it means a little more income, and that is always welcome, but from my very first job in the business I adopted a very strict personal policy: I do not sell an excursion that I do not like (or know for sure that people usually enjoy, even if it is not my taste) just to make money; thus I was worried then, not ever having been to the grottos and not knowing what to expect. Boy, they loved every minute of it, and so did I!
Bettharram Grottos, discovered and first explored at the beginning of the 19th century, were opened to the public in 1903, after local artist and photographer Leon Ross spe
nt several years adapting an itinerary for the public. The route, about 4 kms long with a 50 meters height difference trough five different levels in the heart of the mountain, is concrete floored most of the way with enough illumination to walk safely without loosing its charm, and has audio explanations in 10 languages. First level (only) can be accessed in wheelchair, at a reduced entrance fee. Most of the itinerary you will be walking (some steep stairs in the way, most down, a few up, in general a manageable walk for all ages even up to 60-70 if you are in a reasonable shape) but in the last 2 km you will do a short trip in a boat over a subterraneous lake and finally take a very picturesque funride-like train (watch your head in this, rock walls are close and the ride speedy!). Along the trip you will learn how the subterranous river, some 5 billion years ago, carved this wonderful scenery below the mountains, how the earth and rocks are alive and
active in their own languid, painstaking slow own ways, and how the magical forms of stalactites, rock columns and stalacmites develop and grow through a process spanning millions of human lives.The Grottos are found 15 km from Lourdes on the way to the bigger town of Pau (closest airport in this region), through a small touristy road. You can get there from Pau or Lourdes by car, by way of taking a pretty long walk, or by bike (I did some searching in the internet for the article but found no bus line that stopped anywhere near). If taking one of the latter options, bear in mind that the last 600 m to the entrance of the caves is a very steep rural road up the mountain. If, on the contrary, you go by car, it is important to know that you will exit the caves in a different side of the mountain and will have to walk back to it if you left it right by the entrance. Oddly enough, in spite of its natural magnificence and importance, the attraction is little known worldwide and hardly advertised, and the tending facilities are somewhat rustic and antique, which I guess adds to its charm.
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