Plongée souterraine en Suisse
Des sources karstiques éparses, froides et profondes : le Bätterich et le Gelber Brunnen au bord du lac de Thoune (jusqu'à -80 m), la Sorgente Bossi au Tessin (S1 jusqu'à -89 m, sur inscription uniquement) et la Rinquelle au-dessus du lac de Walenstadt (plongées hivernales par faible débit) — ainsi que le lac souterrain de Saint-Léonard, fermé aux plongeurs.
5 sites · jusqu'à 89 m · 1 à la portée d'une équipe Intro
Les descriptions des grottes sont pour l'instant en anglais.
Les 5 sites
| Site | Prof. max. | Type | Brevet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bätterich (Bätterichquelle) | 80 m | Backmount | Full cave |
| Gelber Brunnen | 68 m | Pas encore connu | Full cave |
| Lac souterrain de Saint-Léonard | 13 m | Backmount | Cavern |
| Rinquelle | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Sorgente Bossi (Böss) | 89 m | Sidemount | Full cave |
Les brevets requis, les configurations et les profondeurs trimix sont des estimations destinées à la planification. Vérifiez-les toujours sur place et plongez dans les limites de votre formation.
Infos pratiques : règles, gonflage et numéros d'urgence
Urgences
- 112, or Rega 1414 (say 'Tauchunfall', diving accident). For a cave accident, Spéléo-Secours Suisse, which has its own cave-diving rescue team, is alerted through Rega. DAN Europe: +39 06 4211 5685.
- Hyperbaric chambers (GTÜM list, Jan 2025): HUG Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Genève 14, 24/7, +41 22 372 22 44 · HBO-Zentrum Basel, Kleinhünigerstrasse 177, 4057 Basel, +41 61 631 30 13 (30 min advance notice) · mobile emergency chamber in Mendrisio (close to the Sorgente Bossi), 24/7, +41 91 800 18 32. Rega decides where you go (2009 arrangement: German-speaking Switzerland to chambers in Germany, Romandy to Geneva, Ticino to Italy).
Accès et règles
- Access differs per site. Sorgente Bossi (Arogno, TI): only after online registration and approval by Underwater Training CMAS.CH, which the municipality put in charge of access (Full Cave minimum, dive medical, search-and-recovery insurance, booking and key pick-up; regulations of 3 December 2024). Lac souterrain de Saint-Léonard: show cave, not open to divers. Bätterich, Gelber Brunnen and Rinquelle: no permit or ban known; the Rinquelle cave may only be entered by cave divers.
- Drinking water: many Swiss karst springs are captured for drinking water. In groundwater protection zone S1 around a capture, only installations and activities that directly serve the drinking-water supply are allowed (BAFU) — so no diving there. Ask the canton or municipality beforehand about any spring not listed here.
Gaz et gonflage
- Gas: Lake Thun: Dive Center Thunersee in Hilterfingen (trimix and O₂ per its SSI listing; outdoor station air or nitrox 36% to 200 bar). Eastern Switzerland: Tiefenstein in Horn on Lake Constance (trimix 18/45, O₂, helium, 24 h stations) and Divepad in Urdorf near Zürich (trimix, O₂, helium, 24/7 with an app subscription). Ticino: ask about fills when booking the Sorgente Bossi; compressors at the spring are banned. Western Switzerland: DiveStation (Neuchâtel) and plongee.ch (Puidoux), see the Doubs and Jura region.
Eau et saison
- Season and water: cold (Bätterich 6–8 °C, Rinquelle 6 °C, Saint-Léonard 11 °C): drysuit and heating. Bätterich best in winter and late summer (dangerous currents during spring snowmelt); Rinquelle practically only in winter at low flow; the Sorgente Bossi reacts slowly to rain and can be dived almost all year.
Jour de repos
- Non-diving days: the Beatushöhlen show cave at Sundlauenen, close to the Bätterich (~1 km lit); a boat tour on the Lac souterrain de Saint-Léonard (2026: 19 March–1 November, 10–17 h, online booking); the walk to the Seerenbach falls and the Rinquelle from Betlis (by car or boat via Weesen).
Planifiez un séjour de plongée souterraine en Suisse
Saisissez votre équipe, avec brevets, gaz et configurations, et voyez tout de suite quelles grottes vous conviennent. Avec les temps de route depuis votre hébergement, les stations de gonflage et un instructeur IA qui réfléchit avec vous.
Compiled from web research (sorgentebossi.ch, Arogno municipality, Catasto Speleologico del Canton Ticino, sergioveri.com, Corriere del Ticino, LiberaTV, Ticinonline, Tauchclub Seeteufel, Plattform J, WeDIR.ch, taucher.net, dark-team.de, the 'Der Bätterich' presentation, rinquelle.ch, Erlebnis Geologie, Le Scaph, Lac souterrain de St-Léonard, Wikipedia, BAFU, SAC/Spéléo-Secours, GTÜM, swiss-divers.ch, kohmann.ch, Luftverbund, SSI, Tiefenstein, Divepad; Sept 2026). Pins from the Ticino cave register (converted from Swiss grid coordinates), Wikipedia and a club page (Bätterich car park); two sites have no pin. ~ = estimate. Rules change — check locally.