By candlelight, the Trabuc cave takes on its Christmas colors

It's hard to believe it, but yes, it's better in the cave than outside! For the Christmas period and until December 30, the Trabuc cave, in Mialet, changes its appearance and becomes festive. Garlands, animals, lights. The goal? “Bringing people underground and through Christmas lights who might not have been interested“, according to Anne Imbert, director of the cavity.

During Christmas, a grotto “with a completely different personality”

“We love Christmas here“, she begins, rushing into the entrance tunnel of the cave. Period “cheerful and festive” par excellence, the cold season lends itself almost perfectly to the idea. Over the 500 meters of route, a total of 45 garlands, 80 figurines and four spots with light patterns have been judiciously placed to decorate the cave.

“Children and parents may be afraid of going into caves, they may tell themselves that it is dangerous or that there is no point in it. The Christmas version of Trabuc plays down this“. The grotto becomes for a few weeks the lair of Santa Claus who, moreover, waits for the children in the room of the midnight lake. She takes “a completely different personality“, explains the director, slipping past a luminous reindeer who moves his head to see her pass.

A creative process thought through for three weeks

To unwind and reassure, but also to offer creative and different work every year since 2018, the date of the first illuminations. Three weeks of work starting in November are required. “We look at everything we have, explains the director as she goes down the stairs. And we decide on a theme for each room, and we darken the cave for the occasion.“

Anne Imbert finally sets foot in the room of basins, renamed for the occasion “candle room“, and takes in the scene with a glance. In the small room with the low ceiling, the sound of flowing water is heard, and large basins of water, with an almost icy surface, surround the visitor. And then , 300 little flames swirl.These are real candlessmiles the director. Every morning, our two technicians light them one by one“.

Nothing is lost, everything is transformed

In Trabuc, nothing is lost, everything is transformed. “We have to repair our lights, sometimes we even have to create them ourselves. They must be waterproof, for example. When something breaks, we find out where it came from, and we repair it. We do everything ourselves“, explains the director, advancing on the platform. “And there, the midnight lake!“, where a platform overlooks 19 meters of void, at the bottom of which there is a large lake.

“The light strip, we had to take it down five times, and assemble it at the bottom. Usually it takes us 60 or 70 runs to bring all our decorationssmiles the mediator. In one way, it's okay, but in the other… It's sports day!“

The director sits next to a white man. “Moreover, since last winter, we have updated the trail“If there is only one way to go down and back up via a pair of stairs, the management has provided walkways to widen the space to admire the cavity. “We have created collection points because there are two types of visitors: those who want to discover everything and constantly come down. And those who take more time, who want to sit and enjoy the view.“

The Trabuc Cave plans to expand and enlarge the underground path in the coming years. “Everything is planned and under study,” explains Anne Imbert. A way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the cave, discovered in 1945 by Georges Vaucher.