The Grottes de Lascaux

Discover the famous Grotte de Lascaux, located just 30km from our campsite. Immerse yourself in the heart of the prehistoric era and admire the cave paintings which are more than 15,000 years old. This decorated cave, discovered a few decades ago, contains unique paleolithic art remains.

Plan your next holiday in the Périgord and don’t miss the paintings with shimmering colours and the incredible Lascaux engravings. The Lascaux site is an unmissable visit in the Périgord.

The history of the Grotte de Lascaux

Located in the commune of Montignac-Lascaux is the Grotte de Lascaux. It is thanks to four adolescents that in September 1940, the discovery was made via one single hole.

Faced with the importance of this discovery, the narrow opening was rapidly enlarged to enable access and the beginning of the research. It was the abbot Henri Breuil who conducted the first authentications as well as the first photographic records. Amazed by the paintings in the cave, he called it the “Sistine chapel of cave art.”

It was also him who allocated the names to the different rooms: The Bull Room, The Axial Track, The Passage, The Nave, The Feline Track, The Apse and The Well.

Practical information

The massive influx of tourists disturbed the atmosphere of the cave. Despite the installation of air renewal systems, fungal infections and sediments formed. To protect it, André Malraux decided to close it to the public in 1963.

However, in order to protect the cave art, different replica projects have been created. Lacaux II was the first replica. It faithfully replicates the Lascaux Bull Room and Axial Track.

Dates and opening hours

In 2010, the success of the Lascaux reproduction encouraged the Dordogne Departmental Council to create a new replica, Lascaux III. This wandering 1000 m² exhibition aims to show the cave paintings to people from around the world. Lascaux IV, an integral replica, opened in 2016.

The opening hours vary regularly, with longer opening hours in Summer (from 8:00 to 22:00 in July and August). Please check the opening hours on the Lascaux website.