the essential
A lover of caving for 15 years, Benjamin Piaudel arrived in the Lot to develop the practice among young people under the aegis of the departmental caving committee. Portrait.
The underground kingdom fascinates as much as it frightens. However, this world, full of mysteries, seems difficult to access for ordinary mortals. Democratizing the practice and creating public appeal: this is the mission entrusted a few months ago to Benjamin Piaudel, by the Lot Departmental Speleology Committee (CDS 46). This brand new territorial sports development advisor, originally from Brittany, is 38 years old. His passion for the bowels of the Earth came late: “I caught the virus during an initiation with a friend in the caves of Mayenne, in 2009,” he says. Previously European fund project manager in the Normandy Region, he decided to change his life in 2018 and devote himself to his strong interest in caving by completing the state youth, popular education and sport diploma (Dejeps) in Ardèche. . For five years in the region, he worked with tourism companies to develop the practice.
Love at first sight from Lot
A journey which will take him notably to the Lot, a land rich in caves. “I took part in my first course with the French Speleology Federation in the Célé valley. It’s my favorite department, I had always promised myself I would come back,” he swears. And we want to believe him because, when he heard of the creation of a salaried position within CDS 46, he did not hesitate for a second before jumping at the opportunity. His schedule is busy here: in the coming months he will have to focus on developing the practice of caving among young Lotois people. “The Lot is a pure caving territory. It is also the 4th French department in terms of caving demographics, that’s not nothing,” confides Benjamin Piaudel, who specifies that eleven clubs are active there. “There is a collective unconscious around the underworld, it is very scary to most people. […] I like the idea of breaking down these prejudices,” he adds.
An offensive strategy to convince
Its first task was the creation of a departmental caving school in the Lot with the support of the Lot Department, state services, the Adour-Garonne Water Agency and the Parc naturel régional des Causses du Quercy. Thanks to this solid base, Benjamin Piaudel can also develop the practice of caving in schools in order to attract young people interested in this little-known sport. “There is no 4G underground, it opens up a whole new dimension for young people and it also helps raise their awareness of the preservation of the underground world and particularly water resources,” specifies the CDS 46 advisor. In order to democratize the practice of caving, the departmental committee also plans to invest in an “equipment park” to allow young people to practice caving without having to make large investments initially. All these new features should make this sport more attractive to sustain the practice in the Lot in the long term. Go to the website of the French Speleology Federation to find the list of eleven clubs in the Lot as well as their contact details.
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