Lascaux 2026 guide: Sistine Chapel of Prehistory, Périgord caves

By Adrien Moreno, VTC chauffeur in Bordeaux (EVTC #03322012101, SIRET 924 992 605 00015). Article published May 2026, last updated 14 May 2026.

The discovery story (12 September 1940, Marcel Ravidat and friends), the closure ordered by Malraux in 1963, the replica saga (Lascaux I/II/III/IV), Magdalenian iconography and techniques, comparison of the 4 great painted caves of the Périgord (Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume, Cap Blanc, Rouffignac). The complete guide to plan your visit.

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In brief

• Lascaux is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. 17,000 to 18,000 years old, Magdalenian period, Upper Paleolithic. Nearly 1,900 representations painted and engraved on the walls.
• Discovered on 12 September 1940 by four teenagers from Montignac: Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agniel, Simon Coencas, along with the dog Robot.
• Nicknamed "the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory" by Abbé Henri Breuil, the first prehistorian to enter the cave on 21 September 1940.
• The original cave has been closed to the public since April 1963 by decision of André Malraux, after overcrowding (1,200 visitors/day) caused the "green disease" (algae) and the "white disease" (calcite).
• Lascaux IV, the International Centre for Cave Art, opened in December 2016 by François Hollande: 8,500 sqm, full replica created through 3D scanning and resin, €57 million investment.
• The Périgord also offers Font-de-Gaume (one of the last original polychrome caves still open to the public), Cap Blanc (monumental sculpted frieze), Rouffignac (158 mammoths viewed by little train).
• Vézère Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, with 147 prehistoric sites spread across 30 km.

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Before you go: what Lascaux really is

At 7:30 am on 12 September 1940, a young apprentice mechanic from Montignac named Marcel Ravidat was walking with his dog Robot on the Lascaux hill, 2 km south of the village. The dog fell into a hole. Ravidat retrieved him and peered down — it was deeper than he had thought. He came back with three friends: Jacques Marsal, Georges Agniel, Simon Coencas. They climbed down with a rope. And there, in the glow of an improvised kerosene lamp, they saw what nobody had seen for 17,000 years: hundreds of horses, bulls, deer, bison, painted in red, yellow and black on the limestone walls of a cave that had remained sealed since the last ice age.

Four teenagers, a dog, a discovery that would change the human understanding of prehistoric art. This story is probably the most beautiful of all modern archaeological discoveries. It is also the start of a paradox that captures everything Lascaux teaches us: 17,000 years of perfect preservation in darkness, destroyed in 15 years of public access. The cave survived mammoths, glaciers, Romans, and barbarian invasions. It did not survive 1,200 visitors a day.

This guide retraces the whole story. The discovery, the closure, the replica saga, what you see today at Lascaux IV, and the other painted caves of the Périgord that all deserve a visit. For practical details (how to get there, prices, services), see our page [Bordeaux to Lascaux Private Driver].

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The discovery of 12 September 1940

Four teenagers and a dog

The context is crucial. September 1940. France had been under Nazi occupation for three months. In Montignac, in the Périgord, life carried on away from the main communication routes. Marcel Ravidat, 18, an apprentice mechanic, was the eldest of the small group. Like all the children of Montignac, he had heard tales of a mysterious hole in the Lascaux hill that supposedly led to an underground passage linking the manor of Lascaux to a hidden location. It was precisely this local myth that drew Ravidat and his friends down.

On 12 September 1940 around 4 pm, Robot, Marcel Ravidat's fox terrier, fell into the hole. Ravidat went back down to retrieve him, then returned four days later, on Sunday 8 September, with Jacques Marsal (15), Georges Agniel (16) and Simon Coencas (15). They abseiled down with an improvised rope. Marcel Ravidat was the first to see the paintings, in the light of a kerosene lamp jury-rigged from a wire pump.

"The Sistine Chapel of Prehistory"

The teenagers told their schoolteacher, Léon Laval, who in turn alerted the prehistoric authorities. On 21 September 1940, Abbé Henri Breuil, the greatest French prehistorian of the time (nicknamed "the Pope of Prehistory"), entered the cave. His reaction was immediate: he called Lascaux "the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory" — a phrase that has stayed forever associated with the site.

Securing the cave's place in history

The cave was quickly classified as a historic monument as early as 1940. During the war, access was limited and the cave was preserved. After the Liberation, fitting-out work began. The cave officially opened to the public in July 1948, with paid admission.

What happened to the discoverers

Marcel Ravidat remained tied to Lascaux his entire life. He became one of the official guides of the cave from 1948, and later director of a guide school. He died in 1995 in Montignac, considered one of the most famous sons of the Périgord. Jacques Marsal also became a guide at Lascaux and worked there until his death in 1989. Simon Coencas, who was Jewish, was deported and survived the Holocaust — he would later testify that the day of 12 September 1940 was the most important moment of his life. Georges Agniel moved away from Lascaux but returned several times for anniversary commemorations.

The Montignac-Lascaux tourist office today offers a walk "In the footsteps of the discoverers" that traces the route to the original cave entrance (not accessible, but visible from outside).

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1948–1963: the cave being destroyed

1,200 visitors per day

The 1948 public opening was an immediate and massive success. One million visitors between 1948 and 1963. In the 1950s and 60s, peak season saw up to 1,200 visitors a day. The cave is small (235 metres of galleries), narrow, confined. It was absolutely not designed for that level of traffic.

The green disease (1960)

First alarm bell in 1960: colonies of green algae appeared on the walls. Identified cause: CO₂ emissions from human breathing, combined with the heat released by artificial lighting and rising temperature, created an environment favourable to microorganisms.

It was the prehistorian Glory who raised the alarm. Biological pollution progressed quickly. The ozone filters installed as an emergency measure failed to stop the phenomenon.

The white disease

In parallel, another scourge appeared: the "white disease". The enrichment of the atmosphere in CO₂ caused the formation of a veil of white calcite that gradually settled on the paintings, clouding and destroying them in places.

Malraux's decision (April 1963)

Faced with accelerating degradation, André Malraux, then Minister of Cultural Affairs, made a brave and definitive decision: the definitive closure of the cave to the public in April 1963.

Since that date, only a handful of accredited researchers have been allowed to enter the cave, a few days each year, under strictly controlled conditions (sterile suits, limited time inside, continuous monitoring sensors).

The paradox that Lascaux gave the world

It is a universal lesson the cave gave humanity: popularity can kill what it celebrates. Lascaux survived 17,000 years in the darkness and silence of the limestone. 15 years of tourist traffic almost destroyed it definitively.

This lesson transformed museography worldwide. All comparable painted caves (Chauvet, Altamira, etc.) opened since have been planned as replicas from the start. Lascaux is the origin of this conservation doctrine.

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The replica saga: Lascaux I, II, III, IV

Name	Period	Status	Description
Lascaux I	Original (~17,000 BC)	Closed since 1963	The original cave, closed to the public, accessible only to researchers
Lascaux II	Opened in 1983	Closed to the general public since 2016	First partial replica: Hall of the Bulls + Axial Gallery, 200 m from the original
Lascaux III	From 2012	Touring world exhibition	Mobile panels with reproductions, shown in Chicago, Houston, Brussels, Tokyo, Geneva, Paris, etc.
Lascaux IV	Opened December 2016	Open to the public	International Centre for Cave Art: full replica + museum spaces

Lascaux II (1983)

The first replica opened to the public in 1983, just 200 metres from the original cave. Partial replica: only the Hall of the Bulls and the Axial Gallery. Crafted using successive moulds. It welcomed millions of visitors between 1983 and 2016. Closed to the general public since Lascaux IV opened — now reserved for private visits on special request.

Lascaux III (2012–today)

International touring exhibition. Not a site but a collection of mobile panels reproducing certain portions of the cave (Hall of the Bulls, the Shaft, the Nave), designed to travel the world. Already shown at Chicago (Field Museum), Houston, Brussels, Tokyo, Geneva, Paris, and several other capitals.

Lascaux IV (2016)

The complete replica. Inaugurated on 15 December 2016 by President François Hollande. 8,500 sqm at the foot of the Lascaux hill. Total cost: €57 million, funded by local authorities, the French State, the European Union and corporate sponsorship.

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Lascaux IV in detail

Unprecedented reproduction technology

The full replica was made possible by:

1. High-precision 3D laser scanning of the original cave (millimetre-level survey carried out with the Ministry of Culture's digital service)
2. Complete digital modelling of the walls
3. Resin printing of the panels, fixed onto a steel structure reproducing the cave's geometry
4. Hand painting by the Atelier des Fac-Similés du Périgord (under the direction of Francis Ringenbach), with the same pigments and techniques used by the Magdalenians
5. Immersive atmosphere: low temperature, high humidity, smells of damp limestone, sound of dripping water on the rock to reproduce the original atmosphere

The result is stunning. Even conservators sometimes struggle to distinguish the replica from photographs of the original.

The 6 spaces of the International Centre for Cave Art

1. The facsimile: the full replica of the original cave, visited as a guided tour (roughly 1 hour).
2. The Lascaux Workshop: enlargements of key details from the paintings, freely accessible after the guided tour.
3. The Theatre of Cave Art: the work of prehistorians from the 19th century to today, on a big screen.
4. The Gallery of the Imagination: Lascaux in modern and contemporary art (Picasso said: "We have learned nothing in 17,000 years").
5. The 3D immersion space: virtual reconstruction of the cave, interactive projections.
6. The 3D Cinema: animated films on Prehistory.

What you see in the replica

The Hall of the Bulls — the centrepiece. 5 monumental aurochs, one measuring 5.5 metres in length. A composition of rare visual power, considered one of the peaks of world prehistoric art.

The Axial Gallery — a narrow corridor where the horses follow one another in an almost cinematic movement, creating the illusion of looped storytelling.

The Nave — bison, horses, deer. The frieze of swimming stags (5 deer of which only the heads and antlers emerge, giving the illusion of crossing a river) is one of the most poetic scenes in all known prehistoric art.

The Shaft — the most mysterious and most debated scene in Lascaux. A man (with a bird's head) lying down, wounded, facing a disemboweled bison whose entrails are spilling out. To the right, a woolly rhinoceros is walking away. This is the only complex narrative scene involving a human being in all known Paleolithic art. No interpretation has consensus.

Recommended visit duration

Allow at least 2 hours for the guided facsimile tour plus the museum spaces. 3 hours for a comfortable visit including all the spaces. A full half-day if you want to truly immerse yourself without rushing.

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Lascaux cave art: techniques and iconography

Pigments and techniques

The Magdalenian artists worked with a restricted but mastered palette:

Pigment	Mineral source	Resulting colour	Use at Lascaux
Haematite	Iron oxide (ferruginous earth)	Red ochre	Dominant colour for horses and bison
Limonite	Iron hydroxide	Yellow ochre	Manes, secondary outlines
Charcoal	Plant combustion	Black	Main outlines and silhouettes
Manganese (dioxide)	Mineral	Deep black	Dark details, accentuated engravings
Natural calcite	Calcium carbonate	White	Rarely used at Lascaux

• Red ochre (haematite) and yellow ochre (limonite) — ground ferruginous earth
• Charcoal or manganese for black
• White rarely used (natural calcite)

The application techniques were remarkably varied:

• Pads of moss, leather or fur to spread the colours
• Improvised brushes (twigs, animal hair)
• Blowing: the pigment was sprayed directly onto the wall through the mouth or a hollow bone — that's how the famous negative handprints of other Périgord caves were made (Pech-Merle, Chauvet)
• Scraping: the wall was carved to create reliefs and play with the light
• Use of natural reliefs: the artists knew how to integrate the bumps and hollows of the rock into the animals' silhouettes, giving them striking three-dimensional volume

Subjects depicted

The Lascaux bestiary is dominated by:

Animal	Depictions	Notes
Horses	364	Most represented subject, Axial Gallery
Aurochs	5 monumental	Hall of the Bulls, one is 5.5 m long
Deer	Several friezes	Swimming stags frieze in the Nave
Bison	Several	Notably in the Shaft (narrative scene)
Woolly rhinoceros	Few	Present in the Shaft
Bears, felines	Rare	A few isolated figurations
Bird	1	Perch in the Shaft scene
Mammoths	0	Absent at Lascaux (contrast with Rouffignac)

• Horses (the most represented subject, with 364 figurations)
• Aurochs (wild bulls)
• Deer (often in friezes)
• Bison (notably in the Shaft)
• A few woolly rhinoceroses, bears, felines, and a bird on the Shaft's perch

No mammoths at Lascaux — that is one of the site's particularities (mammoths are by contrast numerous at Rouffignac).

The mystery of the Shaft

The Shaft scene is unique. Access height: about 5 metres down a narrow vertical shaft, reached by the Magdalenians probably with a rope. Why this hidden and difficult location to represent this scene? Nobody knows.

Is the bird-headed man a shaman in trance? A wounded hunter? A symbolic representation of death? Is the bird perched beside him the soul of the deceased? The disemboweled bison: a hunting victim, or a sacrificial symbol? No interpretation has consensus among prehistorians.

It is probably the most famous image of Lascaux, and one of the most mysterious in all the world's art.

Theories of meaning

Several major hypotheses compete on the general meaning of cave art:

Theory	Main author	Hypothesis	Type of argument
Shamanic	David Lewis-Williams	Trance rituals, wall = veil between two worlds	Anthropological
Seasonal calendar	Several authors	Depicted animals = hunting seasons, collective memory	Ecological
Narrative / storytelling	Several authors	Hunting stories durably recorded on the wall	Narratological
Structuralist	André Leroi-Gourhan	Symbolic grammar: binary oppositions (male/female, etc.)	Semiological
Consensus	—	No universally accepted theory	—

• Shamanic theory (David Lewis-Williams): the paintings would be linked to trance rituals, with the artists "seeing" the animals through the wall like a veil between two worlds.
• Seasonal calendar theory: the animals depicted would correspond to hunting seasons, with the paintings serving as collective memory for the group.
• Narrative theory: hunting stories, prehistoric storytelling recorded durably.
• Structuralist theory by André Leroi-Gourhan (a French prehistorian who shaped the discipline): the animals are organised according to a symbolic grammar, with binary oppositions (male/female animals, day/night, etc.).

No theory is universally accepted. This is also what makes Lascaux fascinating: 17,000 years on, these images still speak to us without us truly understanding what they say.

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The other great painted caves of the Périgord

Lascaux is not alone. The Vézère Valley concentrates 15 major painted caves and more than 150 prehistoric sites within a 30 km radius. Here are the three other essentials.

Font-de-Gaume (Les Eyzies)

THE absolute treasure of the Périgord — and it is urgent to visit.

Located at Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, 20 km from Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume is one of the last caves in the world adorned with original polychrome paintings still accessible to the public. Lascaux, Altamira, Chauvet and others have had to close definitively. Font-de-Gaume still holds on — but probably not for much longer.

Discovered in 1901 by Denis Peyrony, Abbé Breuil and Louis Capitan. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 (along with the other sites of the Vézère Valley).

What it holds: more than 230 figurations dating from around 14,000 to 17,000 years ago. Bison dominant (84 representations, including the famous polychrome bison), horses, mammoths, reindeer. The polychromy (red, brown, black) reaches a uniquely sophisticated level here. Scenes of facing reindeer, one of which shows two animals in a posture of mutual affection (one reindeer appears to lick another's forehead), are among the most moving images in all known prehistoric art.

Ultra-limited capacity: only 78 people a day, in groups of 12 maximum. 30 minutes inside the cavity for conservation reasons.

Practical: - Reservation mandatory at sites-les-eyzies.fr since 2021 - Adult ticket: €13 (free for under 18) - Closed on Saturdays - In peak season, book 3 to 4 months ahead — slots disappear fast - Distance from Lascaux IV: 20 km, ~25 min

Visit it now. Specialists agree that definitive closure is only a matter of time, as it was for Lascaux before it. This may be the last generation able to see it.

The Abri du Cap Blanc (Marquay)

2 km from Font-de-Gaume, the Abri du Cap Blanc is less well known, and that is precisely what makes it valuable: a more intimate experience, without the media pressure of Lascaux or Font-de-Gaume.

Unique feature: a bas-relief sculpted frieze 13 metres long, dating from around 15,000 years ago. Sculpture on a rock wall is an extremely rare technique for this period — a few similar rock shelters are known in the Dordogne and Charente, but Cap Blanc remains the most monumental example and the best preserved.

What you see: about ten horses, including a central horse 2.20 metres long, accompanied by bison and cervids. The reliefs were created with flint picks, by pecking, scraping and polishing. Traces of ochre paint indicate that the frieze was once entirely coloured.

Anecdote: in 1911, during protective excavations of the site, the almost complete skeleton of a young Magdalenian woman was discovered beneath the frieze. The skeleton is now at the Field Museum of Chicago, known as "Magdalenian Girl". A copy is on display on site.

Practical: - Address: D48, 24620 Marquay (next to Les Eyzies) - Adult ticket: €9 (free for under 18) - Reservation mandatory at sites-les-eyzies.fr (30 people maximum per visit) - Closed on Saturdays, 1 January, 1 May, 25 December - Duration: 45 minutes - Distance from Lascaux IV: 28 km, ~30 min

Rouffignac Cave (the "mammoth cave")

The most accessible family alternative of all the painted caves in the Périgord. Located 28 km northwest of Lascaux, Rouffignac is an extraordinary site in scale and visiting style.

What it holds: 8 kilometres of galleries (only part is visited), travelled by little electric train on rails — hence its nickname "the train cave". 158 representations of mammoths, that is more than a third of all known mammoth representations in Western Europe. More than 250 animal figurations in total: horses, bison, ibex, woolly rhinoceroses.

The works date from around 13,000 to 15,000 years ago. They are engraved in line or drawn with black lines (manganese dioxide). The "Great Ceiling", accessible by train, shows 65 animals intertwined in a striking visual swirl.

Mystery: the cave has been known since the 15th century (clay was extracted there). Yet the prehistoric paintings were only scientifically recognised in 1956 — it took more than 500 years for someone to realise that these black lines on the rock were actually Paleolithic works.

Ideal for families: the little train makes Rouffignac accessible to everyone, including people with reduced mobility and young children. The visit lasts about 1 hour.

Practical: - Address: Granville, 24580 Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin - Reservation: online at grottederouffignac.fr (since 2025) - Adult ticket: ~€8-10 (free for very young children) - Opening: from 2 April to about 1 November (closed in low season) - Distance from Lascaux IV: 28 km, ~35 min

Comparison table of the 4 great caves

Criterion	Lascaux IV	Font-de-Gaume	Cap Blanc	Rouffignac
Authenticity	Full replica	Original	Original	Original
Age of works	~17,000 years	~14,000-17,000 years	~15,000 years	~13,000-15,000 years
Dominant animals	Horses, aurochs, deer, bison	Bison (84), reindeer, mammoths	Horses (bas-relief)	Mammoths (158)
Technique	Polychrome paintings	Original polychrome paintings	Bas-relief sculpture	Engravings and black drawings
Visit duration	2 hrs minimum	~45 min	~45 min	~1 hr (train)
Wheelchair access	100% accessible	No (steep path)	Difficult	Yes (train)
Reservation	Mandatory online	Mandatory (78 pax/day)	Mandatory	Recommended
Adult ticket	€23	€13	€9	€8-10
Ideal for	Families, all audiences	Cave art enthusiasts	Prehistoric sculpture lovers	Families, children
Closure risk	No	Yes (eventually)	No	No

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The Vézère Valley, world cradle of Prehistory

The Vézère Valley stretches over about 30 km between Montignac (north) and Limeuil (south, at the confluence with the Dordogne). This portion of territory is probably the densest concentration of prehistoric sites in the world.

The 1979 UNESCO listing

In 1979, UNESCO inscribed 15 major sites in the Vézère Valley on the World Heritage list, in a logic of coherent ensemble. This listing includes notably: - Lascaux Cave - Font-de-Gaume Cave - Combarelles Cave - Cap Blanc Rock Shelter - La Madeleine Rock Shelter - Abri du Poisson - Grand Roc Cave - Rouffignac Cave - National Museum of Prehistory (Les Eyzies) - And several other rock shelters

The UNESCO listing helped structure the protection of the area and attracted international researchers.

The Magdalenian: the culture that bears the site's name

The Magdalenian is the prehistoric culture corresponding to the peak period of cave art in Western Europe (approximately 17,000 to 12,000 BC). This culture takes its name from the La Madeleine rock shelter, the eponymous site located at Tursac, in the Vézère Valley.

The Magdalenian is also known for its portable art (sculptures on bone, ivory, antler), its sophisticated tools (spears, harpoons, spear-throwers), and its adaptation to the end of the last ice age. It is the last great culture of the Upper Paleolithic before the Neolithic revolution.

Les Eyzies-de-Tayac: world capital of Prehistory

The village of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is considered the world capital of Prehistory — that is the official expression, not a marketing slogan. It is here, in 1868, that the first modern human skeletons (Homo sapiens) in Europe were discovered in the Cro-Magnon rock shelter, giving the species its name.

The National Museum of Prehistory (Les Eyzies)

Housed in a medieval castle overlooking the village, the National Museum of Prehistory holds one of the richest Paleolithic collections in Europe: flint tools, bone sculptures, human remains (including originals), reconstructions of camps. Essential before or after visiting the caves.

Adult ticket: ~€7. Free for under 26.

The International Centre of Prehistory (PIP, Les Eyzies)

A free interpretation centre in the heart of Les Eyzies. Offers a perfect introduction to Prehistory before visiting the caves: educational panels, videos, temporary exhibitions. Particularly useful for families with children discovering the subject.

Other notable sites

• Combarelles Cave: original painted cave, 1 km from Font-de-Gaume. Reservation at sites-les-eyzies.fr.
• La Madeleine Rock Shelter: eponymous site of the Magdalenian, medieval troglodyte village superimposed on prehistoric occupations.
• Abri du Poisson: large bas-relief depicting a fish more than a metre long.
• Le Parc du Thot (Thonac): park with life-size reconstructions of prehistoric animals (mammoths, reindeer, etc.) — ideal for children, combined ticket possible with Lascaux IV.

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Lascaux IV: 2026 prices and opening hours

Address and access

• Address: 1 allée de Lascaux, 24290 Montignac-Lascaux
• GPS: 45.0527° N, 1.0697° E
• Parking: free on site, ~400 spaces

2026 opening hours

Period	Opening hours
7 February – 3 April	10am – 6pm
4 April – 11 July	9am – 7pm
12 – 26 July	8.30am – 9.30pm
27 July – 21 August	8am – 10pm
22 August – 1 November	9am – 7pm
2 November – 3 January 2027	10am – 6pm

Last entry: 2 hours before closing. Closed between 4 January and approximately 6 February 2026 (check lascaux.fr).

2026 prices

Audience	Price
Adult (13+)	€23
Child (5-12)	€15
Under 5	Free (ticket required)
Reduced rate (student, job-seeker…)	€22 (with proof, purchased on site)
Disability	€16 (on request by email)
16-18	Free with the Pass Culture

Available guided tours

• Classic guided tour: 1h in the replica with a lecturer-guide. Programmes in French, English, Spanish, Dutch, German depending on time slots.
• Self-guided tour with audioguide: available mid-day (slots vary by season).
• Storytelling tour for children: tailored for 4-10 year olds, with playful elements.
• Prestige tour: in-depth visit in a small group (8 people maximum), ~2h, with privileged access to certain details. Higher price.

Practical

• Reservation: at lascaux.fr — strongly advised year-round, mandatory in peak season (July-August, May bank holidays). Timed tickets (precise slot to respect).
• Wheelchair access: 100% accessible. Tourism & Disability label (4 categories of disability).
• Catering: restaurant on site.
• Photos: prohibited inside the replica. Allowed in the museum spaces and from the rooftop viewpoint.
• Shop: books, facsimiles, posters, children's books — at the visit exit.

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How to get to Lascaux from Bordeaux

By car

The simplest option. 185 km from central Bordeaux, about 2 hours via the A89 motorway towards Brive, then D704 to Sarlat. Free parking on site at Lascaux IV (~400 spaces).

Alternative route: A89 then Périgueux exit to reach Montignac via secondary roads. Slightly longer (~2h15) but with magnificent landscapes.

By train

The journey is complex. Bordeaux Saint-Jean → Périgueux (~1h15 by TER), then connection: Trans-Périgord bus or local taxi to Montignac. Allow 3h30 to 4h30 minimum total, with limited frequencies.

Les Eyzies-de-Tayac station is directly accessible from Bordeaux (with a connection at Périgueux), 22 km from Lascaux IV. Montignac-Lascaux has no direct station.

A valid option only for those staying several days locally.

By private driver from Bordeaux

For a hassle-free trip, a private driver drops you directly at the entrance of Lascaux IV and can wait to take you on to other sites (Font-de-Gaume, Cap Blanc, Rouffignac). Ideal for groups, families with children, and anyone who does not want to worry about timed-slot pressure.

For details: see our page [Bordeaux to Lascaux Private Driver].

By coach / bus

Flixbus and BlaBlaCar Bus do not serve Montignac directly. You have to transit via Périgueux or Sarlat with a connection. Option not recommended for a day trip from Bordeaux.

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When to visit Lascaux

Period	Crowds	Pros	Cons
January (partial)	Very low	Lascaux IV closed early in the month, but other sites sometimes open	Lascaux IV closed
February-March	Low	Very quiet, tickets easy to get	Variable weather
April-June	Moderate	Our recommendation: mild weather, green landscapes, modest crowds	May bank holidays busy
July-August	Very high	Sites open late, animations	Tickets to book 3 weeks-1 month ahead, heat, full car parks
September-October	Moderate	Our other recommendation: golden autumn light, calm regained	Days getting shorter in October
November-December	Low	Low hotel prices, authentic atmosphere	Some side sites closed (Rouffignac, Cap Blanc)

Our recommendation: May-June or September. You visit in good conditions, without the pressure of peak season, and the landscapes of the Périgord Noir are magnificent.

Important for Font-de-Gaume: if you want to visit Font-de-Gaume, book 3 to 4 months ahead in season (capacity 78 pax/day only).

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Practical information

Recommended duration

• Half day: Lascaux IV alone (reserved for scheduling constraints). Frustrating.
• 1 day: Lascaux IV + another cave (Font-de-Gaume OR Cap Blanc OR Rouffignac). Our recommendation for a 1-day discovery.
• 2 days: Lascaux IV + Font-de-Gaume + Cap Blanc + National Museum of Prehistory + Sarlat (overnight in Montignac or Les Eyzies).
• 3-4 days: full exploration of the Vézère Valley and the Périgord Noir.

Accommodation in Montignac and around

Montignac-Lascaux: several charming hotels, rural gîtes, bed and breakfasts. Expect €80-150/night in a 3-star hotel, more in high season.

Les Eyzies-de-Tayac: excellent alternative, close to Font-de-Gaume and the Museum. Hôtel du Cro-Magnon, Hôtel du Centenaire (historic), Hostellerie du Passeur.

Castles and estates: the Vézère Valley and the Périgord Noir have many castles converted into hotels or upmarket bed-and-breakfasts.

Visit tips

• Book your tickets in advance, especially in high season (Lascaux IV, Font-de-Gaume).
• Dress warmly: the Lascaux IV cave is kept at a low temperature (13°C) to reproduce the original atmosphere.
• Photos forbidden in the replica. Plan to take photos in the museum spaces.
• Visit the free PIP at Les Eyzies before the caves for context.
• Book Font-de-Gaume very very early: capacity 78 pax/day, slots gone 3-4 months in advance in season.

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FAQ

Is the original Lascaux cave open to the public?

No. The original cave has been closed since April 1963, by decision of André Malraux. Overcrowding (1,200 visitors/day) had caused algae (green disease) and calcite deposits (white disease) that threatened the paintings. Today, only a few accredited researchers can access it, under very strict conditions. The original cave will never reopen to the general public.

Do I need to book to visit Lascaux IV?

Strongly recommended year-round, almost mandatory in high season. Tickets are timed: you choose a specific slot. In high season (July-August), some slots are fully booked 3 weeks to 1 month ahead. Book at lascaux.fr.

What is the difference between Lascaux I, II, III and IV?

• Lascaux I = the original cave, closed since 1963
• Lascaux II = first partial replica (Hall of the Bulls + Axial Gallery), opened in 1983, now closed to the general public
• Lascaux III = international touring exhibition (mobile panels)
• Lascaux IV = the complete full replica, open since December 2016

Can I take photos inside Lascaux IV?

No, photos are forbidden inside the cave replica (to preserve the immersive experience and subtle lighting). Allowed in the exhibition spaces (Lascaux Workshop, sets) and from the rooftop viewpoint (panoramic view of the Vézère Valley).

Are there age restrictions for visiting Lascaux IV?

None. Children under 5 enter free (but a ticket is mandatory), and they do not have access to the audio receiver during the guided tour. Recommendation: from 6-7 years old to fully enjoy the visit. Storytelling tours for children are suitable from 4-5 years old.

Which cave is best to visit if you only have time for one?

• For technological immersion and family accessibility: Lascaux IV (complete replica, impressive).
• For authenticity and a rare experience: Font-de-Gaume (original, polychrome, very limited places — book 3-4 months ahead).
• For families with young children: Rouffignac (little train, wheelchair access, adventurous feel).

Can I combine Lascaux and Sarlat in one day?

Technically yes (Sarlat 30 km from Lascaux IV), but it's ambitious. Each destination deserves its own day to truly enjoy. If you still do it: Lascaux IV in the morning (9-10am slot), lunch in Montignac, Sarlat in the afternoon. For a comfortable trip, plan 2 days.

Are there other prehistoric sites near Lascaux to visit?

Yes, plenty. The Vézère Valley is a uniquely dense concentration in the world. Beyond the 4 main caves: National Museum of Prehistory at Les Eyzies, International Centre of Prehistory (PIP, free), Combarelles Cave, Abri du Poisson, La Madeleine Rock Shelter (troglodyte village, eponymous of the Magdalenian), Le Parc du Thot (reconstructed prehistoric animals, ideal for children).

Is Lascaux a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes, since 1979, as part of the listing of the prehistoric sites and decorated caves of the Vézère Valley (15 major sites in total, including Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume, Cap Blanc, Combarelles).

Why are there so many painted caves in the Périgord?

The Vézère Valley offered ideal conditions for the Magdalenians: soft limestone easy to carve, natural rock shelters, fish-rich rivers, abundant game. The area was densely populated 17,000-13,000 years ago. More than 150 prehistoric sites have been recorded within a 30 km radius. It is the densest concentration in the world.

What does the Shaft scene at Lascaux really mean?

Nobody knows for certain. It is the only complex narrative scene involving a human being in all known Paleolithic art. Several interpretations coexist: shamanic representation, symbolic hunting scene, ritual death, conflict with an animal spirit. No theory has consensus, and that is probably what makes this image so fascinating.

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Further reading

• Private driver service for Lascaux: see our page [Bordeaux to Lascaux Private Driver] (packages, prices, booking)
• Sarlat and the medieval Périgord Noir: see [Sarlat Guide] and [Bordeaux to Sarlat Private Driver]
• Arriving from Bordeaux airport directly to Lascaux: see [Bordeaux Airport Transfer]
• Arriving from Saint-Jean train station: see [Bordeaux Train Station Private Driver]

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Sources and references

• Lascaux IV — Official website — ticketing, hours, prices, history
• Prehistoric sites of the Vézère Valley — Font-de-Gaume, Cap Blanc, Combarelles, reservations
• Rouffignac Cave — official site — information and reservations
• UNESCO — Vézère Valley — World Heritage listing 1979
• National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies — collections, exhibitions
• International Centre of Prehistory (PIP) — free interpretation centre
• Dordogne Périgord Tourism — regional information

Article updated in May 2026. Data and information verified as of this date.