Where are the Lascaux caves?
Dordogne, France
Lascaux, also called Lascaux Grotto, French Grotte de Lascaux, cave containing one of the most outstanding displays of prehistoric art yet discovered. Located above the Vézère River valley near Montignac, in Dordogne, France, the cave is a short distance upstream from the Eyzies-de-Tayac series of caves.
Why are the Lascaux caves closed to the public?
The Lascaux cave became a popular tourist site after World War II. But it had to be sealed off to the public in 1963 because the breath and sweat of visitors created carbon dioxide and humidity that would damage the paintings.
How do you get to Lascaux caves?
You can take a train from Gare Montparnasse to Lascaux via Bordeaux St Jean and Condat Le Lardin in around 5h 22m. Alternatively, Blablabus operates a bus from Paris City Centre – Bercy Seine to Brive-la-Gaillarde twice daily. Tickets cost €15 – €20 and the journey takes 6h 15m.
Are there any humans depicted in the Lascaux caves?
There is only one human figure depicted in the cave: a bird-headed man with an erect phallus. Archaeologists believe that the cave was used over a long period of time as a center for hunting and religious rites.
Who lived in the Lascaux cave?
Both Neanderthals (named after the site in which their bones were first discovered—the Neander Valley in Germany) and Modern Humans (early Homo Sapiens Sapiens) coexisted in this region 30,000 years ago.
How old are the paintings in the Lascaux cave?
15,000- to 17,000-year-old
The 15,000- to 17,000-year-old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Paleolithic period. First studied by the French archaeologist Henri-Édouard-Prosper Breuil, the Lascaux grotto consists of a main cavern 66 feet wide and 16 feet high.
Are there any caves in the Dordogne region?
The Dordogne region of France has literally hundreds of caves, many of them open for the public to visit.
Are there any natural caves in the Les Eyzies?
This has both a natural cave with a ceiling of very fine stalactites and a cave with prehistoric paintings. It is 18km from Sarlat. Because there are so many caves in the Les Eyzies region I have given them a separate page: caves of Les Eyzies, Dordogne
Where to visit in the Dordogne region?
Main caves and grottes in the Dordogne region Lascaux II Caves at Montignac La Roque Saint Christophe Gouffre de Proumeyssac Les Grottes de Maxange Gouffre de Padirac Grotte de Villars Grotte de Cougnac at Payrignac Les Eyzies de Tayac Grotte de Domme Troglodyte houses at Belves Troglodyte Fort at La Roque Gageac
How far are the caves of Domme from Sarlat?
It is 18km from Sarlat. These caves are underneath the village of Domme allowing you to visit the caves and visit one of France’s most beautiful villages at the same time.