Fontaine de Vaucluse, in Provence
Exploration of its depths, an adventure novel in the style of Jules Verne
|
On the hit parade of local curiosities, the swelling of the Fontaine de Vaucluse steals the show from Francesco Petrarch. Several illustrious figures, before, during or after their stay on the Vauclusian lands of the famous Prince of Poets, have made the trip and given their poetic discourse. Robert D'Anjou, king of Naples, the Colonnas, friends of Petrarch, and Philippe de Cabassole led the way. Then followed Julien de la Rovère, also known as Julius II, in 1497, and other legates in the 16th century like Ippolito de Medici and Alexander Farnese, not to mention poets and writers such as Alexander Dumas, Sainte Beuve, Mistral, René Char, etc. Their main concern, perfectly understandable : the exact origin of the Fountain.
|
Spelunkers have conducted experiments which added dyes to the underground waterways in the limestone hills, revealing the existence of collectors, veritable natural drains which feed the Fontaine de Vaucluse.
In the late 19th century, many explorations took place which have helped us partially understand the mystery of the water's origin and the way it works...
|
Exploration of its Depths
1878 : OTONELLI, diver from Marseille, reached -23m in a diving suit.
1938 : NEGRI thought he had reached the bottom at -30m.
1946 : COUSTEAU and his crew reached -46m.
1954 : MAGRELLI reached -25m.
1955 : The OFRS (COUSTEAU crew) did 80 dives, reaching -74m and probing down to -84m.
1967 : The COUSTEAU crew immersed the Télénaute, a device which went down to -106m.
1974 : The GRSA surveyed the swallow hole. After this dive, a decree was issued prohibiting any further explorations.
1981 : The "Société Spéléologique de Fontaine de Vaucluse (SSFV)" resumed research. TOULOUMDJIAN, assisted by the COMEX reached -153m using a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
1983 : HASENMAYER, a German diver, reached the incredible depth of -205m using a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. The SSFV and the ACRC went down in the Sorgonaute and reached -245m with a wire-guided device.
1984 : Descent and implosion of the Sorgonaute II at -205m.
1985 : The SSFV and the MIC firm sent the MODEXA instrument carrier down, which blocked at -308m on a sandy bottom after having found two galleries in the south-east direction.
1986 : The ACRC attempted a new experiment and had to abandon the Sorgonaute III at around -200m. This device remains the prisoner of the pit.
1989 : Using the Spélénaute, the SSFV sees the conduit again, draws up a new section of the swallow hole down to -308m and attempts to enter the galleries identified in 1985, however they are too narrow and the Spélénaute cannot enter.
1993 : Nicolas HULOT, dives down to -40m for the television show USHUAIA.
1996 : The SSFV, using the Spélénaute, discovers an immense room at -174m.
|
© Photos A and JP Fizet - François Lochon (Gamma)
|
