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Sarlat-la-Canéda
A Private Day Trip from Sarlat to Prehistory Museum, Lascaux IV & Rouffignac Cave
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private tours
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Sightseeing
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09 hours
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Small Groups ( 2~8 )
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Multi-languages
English Français
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A full Day Dedicated to Prehistory & Paleolithic Art in the Dordogne, guided by an Expert of the Paleolithic times. Private visit of the Prehistory museum in Les Eyzies, Visit Lascaux IV & Rouffignac Caves of the Dordogne.
Highlights
- Take in the magic of Dordogne
- This deep-dive is perfect for history buffs
- Visit the fascinating National Prehistory Museum
- Visit Lascaux IV cave & the International Center for Parietal Art
- Admire original drawings & etchings at Rouffignac cave
- Dordogne Tour can be customized to suit your interests
- Local Tour Guide, Expert of the Dordogne Region
What is Included / Excluded for this tour
Program & Itinerary
Today, we will come and pick you up at your centrally located hotel or accommodation in Sarlat la Caneda. Meet your English-speaking driver guide who will go over the program and itinerary of this highly recommended private full day tour that includes a stunning museum visit, a plunge into the depth of a real cave and a visit to the brand new Lascaux IV museum. Then, board your air conditioned vehicle ...
Pick up at your hotel or accommodation in Sarlat
Today, we will come and pick you up at your centrally located hotel or accommodation in Sarlat la Caneda. Meet your English-speaking driver guide who will go over the program and itinerary of this highly recommended private full day tour that includes a stunning museum visit, a plunge into the depth of a real cave and a visit to the brand new Lascaux IV museum. Then, board your air conditioned vehicle and begin to make your way towards the World Prehistory capital of Les Eyzies de Tayac.
Start with a Visit to the National Prehistory Museum
Some 15,000 years B.C. unknown artists created breathtaking paintings, drawings and etchings inside caves of which the most extraordinary examples are found in the Dordogne area. During this day you will be introduced to this fascinating art and to the people who created it.
Begin the day in Les Eyzies de Tayac for a guided visit of the National Prehistory Museum. Established in July 2004, the museum houses some 18,000 pieces and a collection of six million artifacts. The museum’s collections were established as early as 1913, when indefatigable researcher Denis Peyrony convinced the French state to acquire the Château des Eyzies, built at the end of the 16th century, and to transform it into an excavation warehouse that could double up as a museum.
The museum possesses the largest collection of prehistoric artifacts in the world. Follow your guide and discover the main chapters of the Hominids’ development through an anthropological frieze and a brief reminder of Africa’s history, starting with the early Australopithecus.
Many themes are explored, including the legendary “Lucy”, the 3.5-million-year-old woman discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. You will then visit the permanent exhibit galleries that will plunge you into the mists of time, revealing seven sequences that cover the entire Paleolithic era through an “ideal historiography”.
Free time for lunch in a local restaurant (at own expense)
Enjoy some free time for lunch in Montignac or a village of the Dordogne region. Ask your guide for recommendations.
Visit the Brand new Lascaux IV Cave Complex
Continue to Montignac where you will visit the brand new Lascaux IV cave – opened in December 2016. For the first time, all of Lascaux is revealed. A complete new replica retraces the discovery of the famous decorated cave.
But that’s not the end of the adventure: the entire site inquires into the position that Lascaux occupies in cave art and its relation to contemporary creation. The opening of the International Center for Cave Art marks the beginning of a new adventure combining the emotion of ancestral art and an important technological achievement.
Here, the reproduction of the original lascaux cave has been so precise that it would be difficult for even the most talented experts to find any flaws. Follow a guided tour with a local guide of the museum and then take some time to visit the exhibitions and the center for prehistoric cave art.
End with the Visit of Rouffignac Cave
Finally, end the tour with the visit of Rouffignac Cave that possesses state of the art original cave paintings as well as authentic etchings and drawings. The Rouffignac cave was already mentioned in 1575 by François de Belleforest. In his ” Cosmographie universelle” he cites “paintings and animal traces”.
In the 19th century, the cave was known as a tourist attraction. Famous archaeologists like Henri Breuil, André Glory and Martel had visited the cave in the early 20th century, but it was only in 1956 when Louis-René Nougier and Romain Robert, two prehistorians from the Pyrenees, rediscovered and confirmed the cave art.
As you arrive, board an electric train and descend a near 2 kilometers deep to admire the artwork located inside the cave. The small train makes a few stops in front of spectacular drawings and etchings. Finally, reach the bottom of the cave for a stop of a few minutes. Disembark the train and just a few steps away arrive and admire the ceiling of the cave where a large amount of drawings are present.
Usually isolated or organized in a frieze, here the 66 animal representations seem to have been placed in a disorganized way, swirling over a large suction funnel that leads to a well that allows an access to the second floor of the cave. Mammoths are omnipresent, Rhinoceros, Bisons as well as Horses make up the rest of the bestiary. More unusual, all the representations of Ibex are located here, completely absent from the rest of the cave.
After the visit, return to Sarlat.
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Meet your Guide at your Accomodation in Sarlat
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Visit the Prehistory museum in Les Eyzies de Tayac
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Visit Rouffignac Cave
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Enjoy some free time for lunch in Montignac or a small village along the Vezere River
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Visit of Lascaux IV Cave
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Drop off at your accommodation in Sarlat
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Know before you book
- Dordogne Tour available from April to October
- 9 hour Prehistory Private Day Trip from Sarlat
- Tour is operated in English, other languages on request
- Entrance tickets can be purchased during booking process
- Electric train visit in Rouffignac, (French comments)
- Guide will introduce cave visit beforehand
- Commentaries at the 'Grand Ceiling' in English by your guide
- Warm jackets are highly recommended – 14°C (57°F) inside the caves
- Tour is not wheelchair accessible
- Prices are per group from 2 to 8 persons - Larger groups please contact us
Meeting point
Your Hotel or accommodation in Sarlat la Canéda
24200
Departure
We will come and pick you up at your accommodation in Sarlat la Caneda or surrounding area (circle of 30 kms around Sarlat).
Other possible pick up locations :
Other possible pick up locations :
- Montignac
- Les Eyzies de Tayac
- Beynac, La Roque Gageac, Domme
Return
Tour returns to original departure point.
Reviews
5.0/5 (3 reviews)
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Ninette A.
01, Jul 2022
We just finished our tour with Benoit. He is the best tour guide I have ever had! Very knowledgeable and very, very kind and thoughtful. He gave us a... -
Melody H.
11, Jun 2022
We were met by our driver Benoit, a common French name, who studied art history and architecture and who for the past few years during Covid worked at... -
mhil
07, Sep 2021
A five-star trip with an exceptional guide This day trip might seem a bit long to those who just want to see Lascaux IV, but in hindsight it was well...
View all reviews
Included / excluded
Included
- Guided visit of the National Prehistory Museum
- Reservations for Lascaux and Rouffignac Caves
- English-speaking driver guide, Expert of the Dordogne
- Travel in recent, comfortable & fully equipped minivan
- Bottled water in the minivan
- Free WiFi access on board
Excluded
- Entrance fees to the Caves
- Entrance fees to Prehistory Museum
- Personal insurance and expenses
- Meals, drinks & wine tasting fees
- Gratuities for the driver/guide
FAQ
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Do you organize pick up and return at accommodation for Sarlat private tours?
Yes, absolutely, we will come and pick you up at your hotel or accommodation in Sarlat. We can also pick you up within a radius of 30kms (20 miles) around Sarlat at no extra cost. -
What type of vehicles are used during your private tours from Sarlat?
Our company uses only Mercedes Vito Tourer 8 seater minivans that are recent, comfortable and fully equipped including individual A/C, shaded windows, large leg space and on board P/A system for commentaries by the guide. -
Who conducts these Dordogne private tours from Sarlat?
We only employ fully accredited, licensed tour guides that are also the drivers for all tours that need visits to be conducted by certified guides. Good examples are: the visit of the National Prehistory Museum, guided walking tours in villages such as Rocamadour, visit of historical monuments and so on. In the Dordogne, all our guides are experts in History & Culture. All have a large experience in Paleolithic Art and conduct tours in both Caves & Castles. -
Is the tour of the National Prehistory Museum in English?
Yes, absolutely. Your English speaking guide will be the one conducting the tour in the National Prehistory Museum. You can expect to see the most important aretefacts of the Museum. Your guide will explore with you the different periods of Prehistory and show you how the making of tools evolved over time. -
How strenuous is this tour, can everyone visit the Caves?
Both Lascaux IV cave and Rouffignac cave are easily accessible for all. Since Lascaux IV is the replica of the original cave, there is no issue concerning the flooring of the cave. It has been adapted for all public.
For Rouffignac cave, it is an electric train that takes you down deep inside the cave. No walking except for a few steps taken at the end of the train ride to admire the ceiling and all the animal representations. -
Is it cold inside the caves?
Inside the caves of the Dordogne in general the temperature is of 13° Celsius, 56° Fahrenheit. It is therefore strongly recommended that you bring warm clothes for the visit. -
Is lunch included on this private tour from Sarlat?
No, we never include lunch on our private full day tours from Sarlat. If you would like to include a lunch in a local restaurant don't hesitate to reach out and our travel advisors will take care of your restaurant reservation. Also, don't hesitate to ask your guide in the morning for recommendations.
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