DESCRIPTION :

For all those of you that really wish to discover the art of the caves of the Dordogne, this tour combines the best of it all. Begin with the National Prehistory museum of Les Eyzies. Set into the cliff overlooking the Vézère valley, close to the principal homes of Palaeolithic parietal art, the museum displays an exceptional collection of objects from the most prestigious prehistoric sites in the Dordogne, inhabited by Man for the past 400,000 or 500,000 years: the Combarelles and Font-de-Gaume caves, Shelter of the Fish, the deposits from La Micoque and La Ferrassie, the shelters of Le Moustier and Laugerie-Haute.

Then visit Font de Gaume cave, the last of all the polychrome caves in the world that one can still visit. Discovered in 1901, it is the last remaining cave that bears polychrome paintings on the walls and that date back to the Magdelenian period of prehistory. To date, 230 figures have been recorded in the cave, and it is thought that more are still to be revealed. Font de Gaume holds over 200 polychrome paintings and is considered the best example of polychrome painting other than Lascaux. The paintings in include depictions of more than 80 bison, 40 horses and more than 20 mammoth depictions. As a local operator we will take care of the reservations for you as now only 80 privileged persons can visit the site per day.

Finally, depart for Montignac to visit the famous Lascaux cave. More than just a reproduction, the cave is a perfect reconstitution of the original and took more than 20 years to create. Lascaux II, which represents two of the original cave halls — the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery — was opened in 1983, 200 meters from the original. The most famous section of the cave is The Great Hall of the Bulls where bulls, equines and stags are depicted. The four black bulls are the dominant figures among the 36 animals represented here. One of the bulls is 17 feet (5.2 m) long — the largest animal discovered so far in cave art. Additionally, the bulls appear to be in motion. To visit these two caves during the day is an ideal way in which to approach the sophisticated art of our ancestors.

Pick up at your hotel in Sarlat and depart for Les Eyzies de Tayac and follow a guided tour of the National Prehistory museum. Then depart for Font de Gaume cave for a tour of this unique cave. Finally, reach Montignac and experience a unique visit at Lascaux II cave.

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