Guy de Lavaur

Guy de Lavaur (February 3rd 1903 - 1986), is a pioneer of the Spéléoplongée in Aqualung and a Spéléologue very attached to the Causses of the Batch.

Biography

Born with Saint-Laurent-the-Turns close to Saint-Céré (Batch), it passed his childhood to the Manor of Laboisse.

Engineer at Sulzer (diesel engines), he becomes then director of the branch “accident” of one of the most important insurance companies.

Speleology

In 1929, of Lavaur had made knowledge, during an exposure, of another engineer, Robert of Jolly, explorer of caves and pits. Of Jolly initiates it with the techniques of speleology.

1931: swallow-hole of Heads (Lozere, France): Robert of Jolly and Guy de Lavaur reach the 236 depth m dimension in a swallow-hole of the Causse Méjean, exceeding the terminus of Martel -116 m reaches in 1889: it is the French record of the time (Baker, 1966, p. 37). In fact, they reach the dimension of 187 m (with dimensions -205 m) of depth (Rens. D. André).

In 1937, thanks to the authorization of William Beamish, president of the Development company of the pit of Padirac, it takes again the exploration of this cavity with Jolly. (Martel had prohibited explorations during 37 years). De Lavaur takes part then in explorations of 1947,1948 (chief), 1949,1950,1951 (chief).

In June 1948, G. of Lavaur and its companions are invited to go down in the pit from Vitarelles. They stop in top of the fall of the Room of the Cone, but very close to the entry of the pit, after having climbed a pretty stalagmitic casting, they discover the affluent of the Jellyfish to the “Low Vault”.

The underground diving

In 1946, it carries out one of the first underground divings to the Saint-Georges Fountain, with Montvalent, which it estimates to be the resurgence of the river of Padirac. It will prove it by coloring in July 1947 and December 1950. He will be the founder of the underground diving out of aqualung of engineer Gagnan, popularized by the Commander Cousteau.

De Lavaur said: “I learned how to swim to forty, to be able to plunge, although it is not necessary with the diving-suit”. Was this a joke?

It had had a presentiment of the risks of Hydrocution and had thought of a bulbar protection. Madam de Lavaur is the inventor of the current behaviors of diving, the first having been manufactured to measure, by sticking foam rubber plates with adhesive neoprene directly on the bathing suit style 1900 in jersey, carried by her husband.

In 1948, it plunges to the Fountain of the Carthusian monks, Cahors and the fountain of Pescalerie. In the summer, it is again requested to plunge in the siphon downstream of the pit of Vitarelles, in order to determine, on the one hand its length and, on the other hand, to check if water moved well, as one supposed it, towards the pit of the Double sacks. Water being extremely turbid, it stops to -10 meters with the foot of an argillaceous slope.

He was the creator of the first patent of underground diving.

Responsibilities and distinctions

Founder and president of Spéléo French Help.
Vice-president and member of honor of the French federation of Speleology.
Creative of the first course of underground diving, founding member of the speleological Company of France.
President of the Spéléo-club of Paris.
President of the National association of the owners of caves arranged for tourism (ANECAT)
It obtained moreover the Martel price in 1949.
Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1951.
Bronze medal of Youth and the Sports in 1956.

Works and publications

explorations of 1948 in Padirac , nature, March 1949. Library of the Company of the Studies of the Batch.
Padirac or the underground adventure , 1950, Collection Voyages and Adventures. J. Knew, Paris,
the exploration of the siphons and the fountains vauclusiennes : acts of the 1^er international congress of speleology - Paris 1953 - Volume IV: http://www.plongeesout.com/articles%20publication/historique/exploration%20lavaur%201953/exploration%20lavaur%201953.htm
Padirac and its area Alpina In-16 square Paris 1951 Collection France, and 1975
All speleology. Initiation with underground exploration , Paris Amiot-Dumont, 1954,184 pages.
Caves And Undermines Diving : Scientific Book Club, London

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