Magdalenian occupation 17 000 à 14 000 ans avant le présent (≈ 0)
Prehistoric shelter with tools and fireplace
12 000 ans avant le présent
Formation of caves
Formation of caves 12 000 ans avant le présent (≈ 0)
Crushing by postglacial river
1933 à 1959
Refinement of Gex blue
Refinement of Gex blue 1933 à 1959 (≈ 1946)
Cheese use of caves
2015
Tourism
Tourism 2015 (≈ 2015)
30,000 annual visitors
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
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Origin and history
The Cerdon caves, located in the municipalities of Labalme and Cerdon in the department of Ain, are an underground network formed by limestone erosion. Their geological origin dates back to the Jurassic, when marine sediments were transformed into limestone, then carved by an underground river from the melting of glaciers about 12,000 years ago. These cavities are home to stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone concretions, offering a major speleological interest.
In Magdalen (between 17,000 and 14,000 B.C.E.), these caves provided shelter for prehistoric men. Archaeological excavations revealed tools, weapons, bones and traces of a home, attesting to a pre-Neolithic human occupation. These discoveries underscore the importance of the site in understanding the lifestyles of this period.
Between 1933 and 1959, the caves were used for wheat production, hosting the refining of Gex blue, a local specialty. This change in usage illustrates the adaptation of natural spaces to regional economic needs in the 20th century. Today, the site is among the most visited in Ain, attracting 30,000 visitors in 2015 for its geological and historical heritage.
