-
Women given right to vote in France 80 years ago
It came a full 96 years after suffrage was extended to all men in France - and 51 years after New Zealand offered the vote to its women
-
EU proposes talks with UK for easy work and study for under-30s
Labour says this looks too much like a return to pre-Brexit free movement and it has ‘no plans’ to negotiate such a deal. The UK government does not want an EU-wide scheme.
-
Telecom firms, utilities: which offer English language services in France?
We checked out any advertised dedicated helplines
Unesco-protected cave in southern France on sale from €300,000
Cova Bastera is a fortified cave dating back to the reign of Louis XIV, which receives 25,000 visitors a year
A private cave situated in southern France which receives around 25,000 visitors per year and is protected by Unesco is up for sale for €300,000-€360,000.
The Cova Bastera is a fortified cave situated 30 metres above the RN116 road in Villefranche-de-Conflent (Pyrénées-Orientales), and can currently be visited for free by members of the public.
The town of Villefranche-de-Conflent. Credit: trabantos / Shutterstock
It was designed by celebrated architect Vauban, under the reign of Louis XIV, and is currently the only European cave on the Unesco list. It was initially used as a lookout post over the Vallée du Cady, helping the town to defend itself.
La grotte de la Cova Bastera, aménagée par #Vauban à Villefranche-de-Conflent et visible sur le #planrelief du début du 18e siècle, est à vendre >> https://t.co/r9JFGxM2tS pic.twitter.com/L1O7SbU3Yn
— Musée des Plans-Reliefs (@Plansreliefs) April 7, 2022
There are 800 metres of chambers, peppered with animal remains, to explore inside, and much beyond that which has not yet been made fully accessible to humans.
Some 124 steps bring visitors up to the cave galleries, which maintain a temperature of 14⁰C all year round.
The cave is also located close to two other Unesco sites: the Tour de la Viguerie ramparts and the mediaeval town of Villefranche-de-Conflent.
Von Vauban befestigt und UNESCO-Welterbe: Die Grotte Cova Basterahttps://t.co/qQRhz7YepB#covabastera #villefranchedeconflent #conflent #pyrenees #pyrenessorientales #pyreneescatalanes #france #grotte #grottefortifiee #vauban #pyrenaen, #frankreich #hohle #hoehle #festung pic.twitter.com/oTw7xui6IR
— Klaus Grewe (@Weltangucker) December 5, 2017
Its owner, Bernard Castillo, is suffering from health problems and has therefore decided to sell after nearly 40 years of ownership. It was his father who originally bought the chambers and adapted them for public visits, with lighting and a sound system.
“I want €300,000 for it. I will miss all the compliments from visitors after their visit,” he told France 3.
As well as having the rare opportunity to own a French cave – in the last five years, only three other such structures have entered the market – the buyer will not have to pay local tax on it.
Having around “30,000 visitors a year is something. Many small caves in France do not have as many visitors,” Roselyne Aulner of Anecat, the organisation which brings together the owners of grottos and caves used for tourism, told Le Parisien.
“It benefits from an exceptional commercial location very close to the heart of the town of Villefranche, which is quite rare,” she added.
Related articles
Plane, cave or lighthouse: quirky places to stay near water in France
France’s cultural and natural variety makes it a tourist hotspot
Villagers fight to save their local ‘mascot’ deer in southern France
