Ardèche · about 10 km from Barjac
Source de Marnade
- Max depth144 m
- CertificationFull cave
- Water temperature≈ 12–13 °Cestimated, no reports yet
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
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What it looks like
Exploration de la source de Marnade 16 janv 2019 Plongée à la source de Marnade Plongée spéléo à Marnade (Gard) Source de la Marnade, Cave Diving
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Videos and posts
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Exploration de la source de Marnade 16 janv 2019 Plongée à la source de Marnade Plongée spéléo à Marnade (Gard) Source de la Marnade, Cave Diving
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Other people's footage, not advice: how someone else dives here says nothing about what suits your team. Dive within your training.
The dive
Visibility varies, from poor (stirred silt) to excellent. S3 descends as a wide low passage (about 5–6 x 2 m) over gravel and cobbles. The spring is the resurgence of the Aven du Camélié system (Lussan).
2 earlier accidents or incidents have been reported at this cave. Read what happened ↓
Profile and sections
Visibility varies, from poor (stirred silt) to excellent. S3 descends as a wide low passage (about 5–6 x 2 m) over gravel and cobbles.
The spring is the resurgence of the Aven du Camélié system (Lussan). Pushes: before 1979 (Vergier, Poggia), 1981 -60, 1985 -85 (Chouquet), 1996 -121 (Badier), 2002 -128 (international team), 2004 -136 (Méniscus), 2006 -139 (Volanthen) and later -144 (Méniscus, an 8.5-hour dive).
- Depth and profile
- S1 362 m / -33 · S2 120–150 m / -6 · 200–250 m low passage (about 10 cm of water on 20 cm of clay) · S3 to -144 m (-139 in 2006, later -141 and -144) · development 1,550 m
- Configuration
- S1 and S2 in any full-size configuration (estimate). For S3 everything must pass the low clay passage between S2 and S3 (in 2006, at high water, mostly by scooter). Deep pushes on CCR and trimix, with hours of deco.
- DPV: DPV possible
- In 2006 a scooter was used between S2 and S3 at high water; S1 is 362 m. Useful for deep S3 pushes, little gain for an S1 dive.
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR
- Goes down to 144 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Spring in Montclus commune (about 93 m a.s.l.), in the Méjannes garrigue. Parking and approach unknown.
Around Source de Marnade
FillsNo fill station known nearby
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News
All (2)
Accidents and incidents
What happened at this cave before, with the sources. No names are given; read it as a lesson for your own planning.
- Fatal accident on 29 Sep 1991: a diver died on the way out in S1, about 250 m from the entrance, with empty cylinders.
- 31 Dec 1979: a diver in an oversized suit shot from -15 m to the ceiling in S1, lost his fins, got stuck in the silt and was rescued with difficulty.
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines. Search for more news ↗ Searched automatically, last on 11 Nov 2026.
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