Lascaux cave is one of the most famous sights in France and the most valuable ancient places in the world, which has many ancient paintings. But wait! The story does not end here!
These paintings were created by early humans about 20,000 years ago! These works of art include paintings of animals and humans, which have given life to the cave walls with hand-made colors.
Visiting this cave is a unique experience of interacting with the history and culture of humans thousands of years ago. In this article from Alibaba Tourism Magazine, we are going to fully familiarize ourselves with this historical attraction.
Where is Lascaux cave?
Lascaux Cave is located in the southwest of France, near the village of Montignac, in the Dordogne region.
How to go to Lascaux cave?
To reach the Lascaux Cave, you can go to the village of Montignac by train or car, and then follow the local signs and directions.
When is the best time to visit Lascaux Cave?
Spring and summer season is the best time to travel to Lascaux cave due to favorable weather and greenery.
What is the structure of Lascaux cave?
The cave of Lascaux consists of several main sections, each of which is decorated with unique paintings and drawings of animals and hunting scenes.
Introduction to Lascaux Cave
Lascaux cave is located in the beautiful and historical region of Dordogne in the southwest of France. This region is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes and traditional villages, each of which is a separate attraction for tourists.
Photo from: Archeologie site
Lascaux Cave is one of the most important archeological sites in the world and contains art paintings from the Paleolithic era. The wall paintings of this cave include images of animals such as cows, horses and deer, which are carefully created using natural colors.
These works of art represent the life and thinking of early humans and allow us to take a look at their world.
Visiting Lascaux means traveling in time and discovering the artistic and cultural effects of ancient people. As a result, a trip to this attraction is a unique opportunity to see prehistoric artworks and an unforgettable experience of watching history, culture and nature at the same time.
Photo from: Arquitecturaviva website
Where is Lascaux cave?
Lascaux cave is located in France in Nouvelle-Aquitaine province. This cave is located in the Dordogne region and near the village of Montignac.
To reach Lascaux cave, you must first go to the village of Montignac, which is accessible by car or public transport. When you arrive in Montignyac, signs will direct you to Lascaux Cave.
Photo from: Audleytravel website
There are also parking lots near the cave. After parking the car, you have to walk for a few minutes to reach the entrance of the cave. Of course, visits to the main cave are restricted due to the preservation of the artworks, and visitors are usually directed to an exact replica of it called Lascaux II.
Location of Lascaux Cave on Google Map
Guide to Lascaux Cave
To reach Lascaux Cave and visit it, you can use several transportation options:
– Personal car
If you plan to travel from Bordeaux, first drive east on the highway, after about 150 km, go to Périgueux; Then use local roads to reach Montignyac. In Montignac, follow the signs to Lascaux Cave.
Photo from: Audleytravel website
If you plan to go to this destination from Paris, first go south on the highway. After about 400 km, head towards Brive-la-Gaillarde and then use the signpost to reach Montignac.
– Trains and buses
From Paris, you must first take the high-speed train (TGV) to Brive-la-Gaillarde or Périgueux. Then you can reach Montignac by bus. You can easily use local public transport signboards to find timetables and bus routes.
Photo from: Britannica website
From Toulouse, first take the train to Brive-la-Gaillarde, then follow the same route as above and take the bus to Montignac.
– Taxi
You can get a taxi from nearby towns like Brive-la-Gaillarde or Périgueux, which will cost more than the other methods.
Photo from: Cdnassets site
Lascaux cave weather
If you want to visit this cave, it is better before anything else
– Spring (March to May)
In the spring of this region, the temperature gradually increases and the weather becomes milder. The average temperature in this season is usually between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius. The rains are usually at an average level and the gardens and lands around the cave gradually become green.
Photo from: Creativefabrica site
– Summer (June to August)
Summers in this area are hot and dry. The average temperature is usually between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius and sometimes reaches more than 30 degrees. This season is not suitable for visiting due to dry weather and lack of rain.
Photo from: Dezeen website
– Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is one of the best times to visit this area. In this season, the weather becomes cooler (between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius), the leaves of the trees change color and create a beautiful view. The amount of precipitation is average in this season.
Photo from: Dordogne site
– Winter (December to February)
The winter of this region is mild and humid. The temperature is usually between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius and the rainfall increases in this season. Even snow can be seen sometimes.
The best time to travel to Lascaux Cave
Spring and summer (April to September) are the best seasons to travel. Moderate weather, natural beauty of the region, cultural activities and local festivals are reasons for choosing these seasons for travel. Of course, you should also expect crowds.
Photo from: Donsmaps site
If you are looking for peace, solitude and cooler weather, choose autumn and winter (October to March) for a trip to Lascaux Cave in France. However, keep in mind that visiting hours are limited in winter. Some tourist facilities will be closed seasonally.
Photo from: I0wp site
History of Lascaux Cave
France’s Lascaux cave is known as one of the most important prehistoric art works in the world and contains more than 600 wall paintings and carvings. Most of these paintings and engravings are attributed to the immigrants of the Paleolithic period (about 15,000 to 17,000 years ago). How to discover this cave is also very interesting.
Photo from: Dordogne site
On September 12 1940 Four local teenagers accidentally discovered this cave. While exploring a pit, these 4 teenagers came across a collection of amazing paintings and carvings. This discovery caused the scientific and artistic communities to quickly pay attention to this historical place. Later, more studies and explorations were done in this place, which showed the time when the paintings were drawn.
Lascaux cave is also of special importance in terms of religion and culture. The people of this region believe that these paintings are related to the rituals and religious rituals of prehistoric people. Some researchers also believe that the Lascaux cave was a place for hunters to hold their magical ceremonies and believed that this would help them succeed in hunting.
Photo from: Dordogne site
Lascaux cave paintings show a part of the daily life of early humans and their beliefs, feelings and artistic taste.
Lascaux cave structure
Lascaux Cave is divided into continuous rooms and corridors, each of which has its own structure, dimensions, architecture and paintings. The cave opening is basically a narrow entrance that leads to the main corridor.
Photo from: Dordogne site
After entering the cave, there will be different halls in front of you, which we will introduce below.
Different parts of Lascaux cave
France’s Lascaux cave consists of different sections, each of which has its own characteristics and paintings. These different sections display a unique and comprehensive combination of prehistoric art and culture and are known as one of the greatest art treasures of that era.
Photo from: Lascaux site
– Hall of cows
This hall is the most famous and well-known part of Lascaux cave. The Hall of Cows is so named because of the large and impressive paintings of cows, buffaloes and wild cows (arkhash). These paintings are often drawn with precise details and in different colors.
Photo from: Domainedulac site
– Pivotal gallery
The central gallery is connected to the cow hall and has similar paintings. The gallery also includes images of animals such as horses and deer that appear to have been drawn with advanced techniques for drawing depth and movement.
Photo from: I0wp site
– Shabestan
The nativity scene in Lascaux Cave is dedicated to paintings of cows, horses and deer, which mainly narrate group scenes and hunting processes.
– Feline room
As the name suggests, the feline room contains paintings of this breed (especially cave lions). This part of the cave is smaller and less known than other parts; But its paintings are very valuable because of the beautiful and realistic details of these animals.
Photo from: Dordogne site
– Passage
The passage is the part that connects different parts of the cave. This section also has paintings; But it includes less number and details. The paintings of the passage show the connection and connection of different subjects and scenes in the cave.
Photo from: Lascaux site
Sightseeing places near Lascaux cave
If you want to continue exploring after visiting this cave, the following attractions will be a good choice for you.
– Regordo Lasco
Regardo Lascaux is a reconstructed example of the original Lascaux cave, which is located adjacent to the main cave and was built to preserve and protect the historic artworks in the main cave. This restoration has been done with great care in order to provide visitors with the real experience of entering the original cave.
Photo from: Wikimedia site
At Regordo Lascaux, visitors can view prehistoric paintings and artworks and learn more about prehistoric art and history. Regordo Lasco is built almost close to the main cave and is about five to ten minutes away on foot.
– Lascaux International Art Center
Lascaux International Center of Art is a modern center that offers visitors a combination of advanced technology and art exhibitions. This center has interactive exhibitions that convey a lot of information about the history and prehistoric art to the audience.
Photo from: Designboom site
Visitors can get complete information about the paintings and techniques used in these arts in this center.
This center is located in the vicinity of the main cave and Regordo cave.
– Paul Saladi
Saladi Bridge is a cultural and educational place that was created with the aim of learning about the life and arts of prehistoric people. This center is especially attractive to those looking for more complete information about the history and lifestyle of early humans.
Photo from: Franzosischereisende site
Multimedia and interactive exhibits make the visitor experience more engaging and informative. After about 15 minutes of driving from Lascaux Cave, you will reach Saladi Bridge.
Stay near Lascaux cave
To stay near Lascaux Cave in France, the best way is to stay in the city of Montignac. You can stay in hotels or local lodges. There are several camping areas near this city.
Photo from: Guim site
Equipment needed on a trip to Lascaux Cave
You don’t need any special equipment to visit the Lascaux cave and it is enough to bring food and drinking water and wear suitable shoes. There are facilities such as tour guide, parking lot, restaurant and coffee shop and shops for buying souvenirs.
Photo from: Lascaux site
Tips for traveling to Lascaux Cave
Visiting the Lascaux cave in France is a unique and wonderful experience that will take you back tens of thousands of years ago; to the time when early humans used the walls of this cave as a painting canvas. It is better to keep these points in mind:
- Wear suitable walking shoes.
- The air inside the cave may be a little cooler than outside. So bring an extra dress.
- It is better to visit on working days and preferably in the morning to avoid crowds.
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