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Charente · about 11 km from Saint-Maixent-l'École

Rivière souterraine de Saint-Christophe-sur-Roc

  • CertificationFull cave
  • SpecialSidemount
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The dive

According to CDS 79 this is the largest underground river in the Deux-Sèvres. Practical: the pin is approximate: the centre of the commune.

Since a chimney collapsed in the mid-1990s, silt has made the sumps hazardous.
Source: plongeesout (FFS) – rivière de Saint-Christophe ↗
Low water only: even then the sump entrance has just 20–25 cm of air.
Source: CDS 79 – rivière souterraine de Saint-Christophe-sur-Roc ↗
Not freely accessible. Diving only with the agreement of the owner (the commune); contact through CDS 79 (comité départemental de spéléologie des Deux-Sèvres).
Source: CDS 79 (mededeling, okt 2026) ↗
Profile and sections

According to CDS 79 this is the largest underground river in the Deux-Sèvres.

Practical: the pin is approximate: the centre of the commune.

Source: CDS 79 (mededeling, okt 2026) ↗
Depth and profile
Small, low sumps in an underground river; passable only at low water.
Configuration
Small kit (estimate).
DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
Small, low sumps: no scooter.
Who can dive where
  • CaveAt least Full cave
  • Whole caveConfigurations: Sidemount / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
  • Whole caveExperienced divers only · doesn't decide who may dive
Dry sections / haulingExperienced diversDepends on water level or swellPermission needed

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.

Source: CDS 79 (mededeling, okt 2026) ↗

How to get there

Not freely accessible. Diving only with the agreement of the owner (the commune); contact through CDS 79 (comité départemental de spéléologie des Deux-Sèvres).

Plan your route ↗

Around Rivière souterraine de Saint-Christophe-sur-Roc

FillsNo fill station known nearby
Where to sleepAround Saint-Maixent-l'École on Booking.com ↗

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Caves nearby2 within 24 km

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Sources, sharing and disclaimer

Sources

Source: CDS 79 (mededeling, okt 2026) ↗

Current conditions

Visibility, flow and water levels change quickly. Right before your dive, check what other divers report:

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Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training. Compiled from public sources: plongeesout (FFS), Wikipedia, the FFS congress page on the Touvre (2009), FFESSM Subaqua (2018), the Spit Club Saint-Maixentais, CDS 79, BRGM (1974), the communes of Touvre and Magnac-sur-Touvre, Rivières de l'Angoumois, ABIMES, GESMA, the La Rochefoucauld caving club (ARSR), the FFESSM Nouvelle-Aquitaine club directory and MedSubHyp (September 2026), and for Le Paradis Blanc Divernet (2016), Aquatek and the Charente prefecture (Oct 2026). Much of the dive data is old (1951–2019) or comes from a single club report. Pins only from published coordinates (Gros Roc); the Touvre springs and the Sources du Cros from OpenStreetMap; the three Deux-Sèvres sites approximately at the centre of their commune (CDS 79, message, Oct 2026); the Glane from Grottocenter; one spring and Le Paradis Blanc have no pin yet. ~ = estimate. Rules change — check locally.