The Dordogne and Vézère Valleys are globally renowned for prehistoric sites, particularly around Les Eyzies and Montignac, featuring stunning Paleolithic paintings and engravings. Key sites include the world-famous Lascaux IV replica, the authentic paintings of Font-de-Gaume, and the massive engravings of Rouffignac.
Photography in the caves with paintings is prohibited, but there are plenty of photos of them on the Internet. Below are some of our photos of Grotte de Maxange, where photography is permitted.
Top Prehistoric Decorated Caves & Sites
- Lascaux IV (Montignac): A highly accurate replica of the “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory,” featuring 17,000-year-old paintings of bulls, horses, and deer.
- Font-de-Gaume (Les Eyzies): One of the last prehistoric caves with original polychrome paintings still open to the public.
- Rouffignac Cave (The Cave of a Hundred Mammoths): An 8km network featuring over 250 engravings and drawings of mammoths, bison, and rhinos, accessible via an electric train.
- Grotte des Combarelles (Les Eyzies): A cave containing hundreds of intricate engravings of animals and human figures.
- Abri du Cap Blanc: A rock shelter featuring an impressive, 15-meter-long frieze of prehistoric sculptures.
Geological Caves
- Grotte de Maxange: This cave is called “The Star Cave” because of its rare calcite concretions known as eccentrics that adorn the walls in a panoply of curious forms.
- Gouffre de Proumeyssac (Audrix): Known as the “Cathedral of Crystal,” this is a massive underground cavity with stunning stalactites and a sound-and-light
General links