Petrifying Grottos of Savonnières, Savonnières

The Petrifying Grottos of Savonnières occupy former medieval tuffeau limestone quarries dating to the 11th-12th centuries, where natural formations developed after the quarries were abandoned. Stalactites, stalagmites, drapery formations, underground lakes, and natural cascades fill the cave system. A petrification workshop operates inside, where objects are placed under calcium-carbonate-rich water to develop a natural calcite coating over 1-3 years — a craft practiced here since the mid-1800s.