Aww, come on, don't I get a FTFY? :lol:

Gouffre De Padirac in France.

Google search that worked for me: cavern stairs descend elevator

That's right, gtown. A very beautiful place.

My first "Where is this" so this will either be simple or impossible...

I've tried numerous approaches and have had no luck. Tricky one.

No idea, but I get the feeling that it would be unwise to piss off the locals.

looks eastern European to me

It's wherever they made Children of The Corn. Iowa or whatever.

I think this is a difficulty of 10 since it's not a well known location/object, just something cool I saw once.
Here are two more pics (my own, the first onewas from online) with a few more clues (including a partially scribbled town name) if you want to dig.

This one's gonna be the death of me.

Austria.

Are they ice hooks?

I think Austrian city signs are blue bordered and German city signs are yellow.

Bruce and Spexxvet: Nein!

The OP on the license plate probably stands for Opladen, Germany, and the .....gen on the sign is probably Ratingen, a neighboring town.