Lascaux Caves Travel Guide
Travel to Lascaux Caves - Amazing Cave Art
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The Lascaux caves, located in Montignac-Lascaux, are a series of caves which were temporarily inhabited by Palaeolithic man, more than 16,000 years ago. The walls of the caves are decorated with amazing cave art with various paintings and engravings of animals, a single human form and symbols. They provide an invaluable insight into early man’s life and are widely held to document, along with Aboriginal paintings, the dawn of art.
The caves were first discovered in 1940 and, after the Second World War, the entrance to the cave was enlarged and the floors lowered to make easier access for visitors.
By 1955 it was noticed that some of the paintings had started to deteriorate and after a thorough study it was found that the carbon dioxide from visitors’ breath was causing the deterioration of the cave walls. In order to preserve the paintings and stop any further deterioration, the caves were closed on April 20 1963. Once the visits had stopped the original climatic conditions returned and the paintings returned to their original state.
A replica of part of these caves was created just 200 yards from the original site so that visitors could still get a glimpse of what the caves are like inside. A reproduction of the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery has been open since 1983.
Attractions in Lascaux Caves
The amazing cave art on display depicts various types of animals such as horses, stags, ibex and bison, as well as a few bears and cats engraved or painted in the remotest parts of the cave. The only representation of a human figure is in the Shaft of the Dead Man in the original cave.
Where the walls of the cave were soft enough the Palaeolithic cave artist would have used tools such as flint or a piece of wood to create their art, however in the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery the walls could only be decorated by painting or drawing with colour and this is perhaps the most famous aspect of Lascaux.
Activities in Lascaux Caves
A guided visit of the replica Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery will take approximately 40 minutes.
Relaxing
After visiting the caves why not take a break at the charming medieval town of Montignac-Lascaux, split in two by the Verzere river. The town’s many restaurants are a great place to sample the local delicacies including the Lascaux cake.
Getting Around
They easiest way to get to the caves is by car. If you are travelling by train, Condat-Le-Lardin station is 10km from Montignac-Lascaux.
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