Prehistoric sites and Prehistory in the Dordogne

The Dordogne, and in particular the Vézère valley (known as the Valley of Man), is world-renowned for its prehistoric treasures.

You can discover deposits, living sites, painted or engraved caves, troglodyte sites, shelters, museums and theme parks.

In this section, we have grouped together all the tourist attractions related to the theme of Prehistory.

Caves of Cougnac

Caves of Cougnac: authentic prehistoric drawings amidst concretions

The Cougnac caves site comprises 2 caves 200m apart. The first cave was discovered in 1949, and contains a...

Caves of Cougnac
Payrignac

Le Parc du Thot

Extend your prehistory experience

At the Parc du Thot, discover Cro-Magnon man and his relationship with the species that lived in his time, which he sometimes painted or...

Thonac

Village of La Madeleine

A 17,000-year space-time rift for the whole family!

An invitation to step back in time... One of the best-preserved natural sites in the Vézère valley, the village of...

Tursac

Bara-Bahau cave

Bear sanctuary

The Bara-Bahau (or Bara-Bao) cave, some 100 meters long, is one of the Palaeolithic caves in the...

Le Bugue

Combarelles cave

Over 800 Magdalenian engravings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Combarelles cave, located at the end of a valley just outside Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil in the Dordogne, on the road to Sarlat, is a...

Avenue des Grottes 1-4
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil

Cap Blanc shelter

A Magdalenian sculptural bestiary

The Cap Blanc shelter is located in the commune of Marquay , east of Les Eyzies, and is a site managed by the French National Monuments...

D48
Marquay

Lascaux 4 International Center of Cave Art

Lascaux International Center for Cave Art ( lascaux 4 )

The Lascaux Cave facsimile Lascaux 4 houses a replica of the famous Lascaux cave, named after the hill beneath...

Montignac-Lascaux

Le Regourdou

The Neanderthal Sanctuary

The extraordinary story of Le Regourdou began in 1954, when Roger Constant, owner of a farm close to the...

Montignac-Lascaux

Prehistoric Mirror Maze

Surprise Cro Magnon in his incredible labyrinth of mirrors

Come and surprise Cro Magnon for real! Become explorers and set off on an expedition in search of the last living Cro Magnon! On more...

Allée Paul-Jean Souriau 99
Le Bugue

Laugerie Basse shelter

Prehistoric site listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site

At the Laugerie Basse prehistoric shelters, wander beneath a real habitat occupied by man since the Magdalenian period, and which...

Route de Périgueux D47
Les Eyzies

Périgord Museum of Art and Archaeology

Prehistory, ethnography and fine arts

The Musée d'art et d'archéologie du Périgord is the oldest museum in the Dordogne department, with over 45,000 works of art...

Cours Tourny 22
Périgueux

Font de Gaume cave

One of the world's most beautiful Paleolithic sanctuaries

Listed as a Unesco World Heritage site since 1979, Font-de-Gaume is an ornate cave and one of the finest Paleolithic sanctuaries...

Avenue des Grottes 4
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil

The Sorcerer's Cave

Prehistoric cave and troglodyte site

Please note: The Sorcerer's Cave is closed to visitors for the whole of 2024. The grotte du sorcier (sorcerer's cave) is located on the heights...

Les Eyzies

Dinosaur park Dordogne

Come travel through time... in Dordogne the dinosaurs

The dinosaur park is a journey through time to discover the first land lizards, edaphosaurs and meet creatures...

Impasse de la Péchère 241
Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère

L'Abri Cro-Magnon

Emblematic site for the discovery of Cro-magnon man

The Cro-Magnon shelter is the emblematic site of the discovery that gave its name to the first modern man: Cro-Magnon man (synonymous with...

Chemin de Cro Magnon 2
Les Eyzies

National Museum of Prehistory

More than 18,000 pieces in a completely new museography

Housed in the former château of Les Eyzies de Taillac since 1911, embedded in the cliff overlooking the village, the Musée National de la...

Museum Street 1
Les Eyzies

Roque Saint Christophe

La Roque Saint-Christophe Trology Fort and City

Halfway between LES EYZIES and MONTIGNAC-LASCAUX, the ROQUE SAINT CHRISTOPHE cliff rises steeply from the Vézère river. This veritable wall...

Route de la Préhistoire 2433
Peyzac-le-Moustier

Rouffignac cave

The cave of a hundred mammoths

Located in the commune of Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin in Périgord Noir, the Rouffignac cave, formerly known as the "Cro de...

Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin-de-Reilhac

Roc de Cazelle caves

Prehistory, history and nature in the land of Man

Come and discover the Grottes du Roc de Cazelle, a striking prehistoric park where you can see reconstructions of the life of our...

Route de Sarlat
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil

Cave of Villars

Cave decorated with prehistoric paintings and concretions.

The Villars cave is the only cave in the Périgord to contain both original prehistoric paintings and concretions. The river...

Le Cluzeau
Villars

Le Conquil Troglodytic site

Rock shelters occupied by man since prehistoric times

On the banks of the Vézère river, you'll discover authentic rock shelters occupied by man since prehistoric times, converted and fortified in...

Impasse de la Péchère 241
Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère