This is a guide to notable prehistoric and ecological sites in France, as well as the museums and supplemental media you can use to learn more about them.
This is a reader guide for major prehistoric sites, ecologically important areas and national parks, and museums in France, along with educational materials and supplementary media. A digital map that accompanies and shows these locations is embedded in this article.
This France reference guide is part of a larger New Grand Tour to help individuals and humanity gain broader insights by visiting and learning about an increasingly rich global data set that encompasses our human evolutionary origins, relationships between us and our environment, and the biology behind our behavior.
The Vallonnet Cave is a prehistoric site located in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, in the Alpes-Maritimes, France, between Monaco and Menton. Discovered in 1958, its excavation revealed Oldowan-type tools dating back 1.15 million years, making it one of the oldest prehistoric sites in France.
The Lower Pleistocene and Middle Pleistocene alluvium in the Berry and Sologne regions of the Cher Valley have revealed numerous archaeological sites since the early 2000s. The oldest of these is the Lunery-Rosières “la Terre des Sablons” site, which was dated to around 1.1 million years ago and confirmed the great antiquity of Europe’s first wave of human settlement. This site also provides evidence that humans occupied areas further north earlier than previously thought, as most known sites are located in southern Europe.[1]
The Paleolithic site “Pont-de-Lavaud” is located in the commune of Éguzon-Chantôme (Indre). Several stone-paved archaeological layers, preserved within the partially cryoturbated base of a very high alluvial terrace of the Creuse River, have been exceptionally conserved at this site. Excavation has revealed a large quantity of archaic tools made from quartz pebbles and veins. The average age of the alluvial formation, determined by electron spin resonance (ESR) applied to optically bleached fluvial quartz, is approximately 1.1 million years old. Pont-de-Lavaud is contemporaneous with the currently recognized wave of settlement in Eurasia during the Lower Pleistocene and provides evidence of human presence in central France during this period under periglacial climatic conditions.[2]
The Pont-de-la-Hulauderie site is located in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-la-Gravelle (Loir-et-Cher) and is dated around 1 million years ago. It consists of fluvial alteration deposits that have preserved stratigraphic sequences. The presence of Mode 1, or Oldowan, lithic industries and workshops indicates that hominins settled in valley bottoms during temperate periods. Mode 1 tools are simple and unretouched, often made by removing flakes from a stone core.
The La Noira site dates to around 665,000 to 550,000 years ago. It features a series of handaxes (bifaces) and other lithic tools. This site pushed back the date of the oldest Acheulean sites in Europe, which previously dated to 600,000 years ago.[3]
The Grottes d’Aze Cave is primarily known for being an important paleontological site, but it also yielded a lithic industry. The faunal and lithic remains found here date to between 350,000 and 400,000 years ago.
The second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century witnessed the discovery of flint tools, such as handaxes, at the Saint-Acheul site. This particular toolmaking technique is now known as Acheulean, named after the Saint-Acheul neighborhood and giving it worldwide recognition. Designed to highlight one of the oldest traces of our heritage, the Saint-Acheul Archaeological Garden offers a chance to stroll along natural paths with interpretive signage that takes visitors back by more than 450,000 years. Classified as a historical monument since 1947, and open to the public since 1998, the Saint-Acheul site illustrates the history of prehistoric discovery and its global acknowledgment by the scientific community.[5]
The Abbeville sites include Moulin Quignon, Carrière de Menchecourt, Carrière Léon, and Carrière Carpentier.
Moulin Quignon
The Moulin-Quignon site, located in the Somme Valley in Abbeville, shows evidence of occupation around 650,000-670,000 years ago. This site has yielded significant archaeological material, such as lithic tools and bone remains. It was also the center of a major controversy when French archaeologist Jacques Boucher de Perthes discovered a human mandible here in March 1863. This find was quickly contested and considered a fraud, bringing disrepute to the archaeological site. More recently, however, researchers from the National Museum of Natural History have rediscovered the site and reexamined all the material found there. It is now considered one of the oldest sites in northern France.[6]
Listen to an episode of Quoi de neuf à la Préhistoire?, “Épisode 2/4 : Un os dans le silex. La redécouverte de Moulin-Quignon,” about the rediscovery of Moulin Quignon.
Carrière de Menchecourt
Excavated by Jacques Boucher de Perthes and Joseph Prestwich in the 1840s-1860s, the Menchecourt Quarry site yielded archaeological material that included lithic tools and paleontological remains. This quarry also played a crucial role in the recognition of prehistory as a period by the scientific community, as the antiquity of humans was not yet accepted.
Carrière Léon is an archaeological site in Abbeville; the Leon Quarry revealed paleontological remains and a lithic industry from a survey conducted in 1939 by Henri Breuil.
The Bois-de-Riquet site features an occupation level dated to 1 million years ago. Archaeological and paleontological material found at the site provides insight into the earliest occupations of Western Europe.
One of the most important sites in prehistory, the Caune de l’Arago site deposits range from 690,000 to 92,000 years old, and show visible climatic phase changes. The site was regularly occupied by hominins. It yielded 151 human remains (the oldest in France), faunal remains, and lithic tools. A 2006 multidisciplinary study provided insights into the evolution of species and their adaptation to the environment through the analysis of faunal remains.[7] The study also tracked the evolution of lithic tools and indicated the domestication of fire after 400,000 years ago. The occupation period for this site is very long, with most of the fossils being 450,000 years old.
Discovered in 1985, the Menez Dregan site is major in the study of Western European populations. Dating from 465,000 to 380,000 years ago, it contains evidence of fire use and lithic pieces. It was formerly a marine cave.[8]
This Lower Paleolithic site in Lower Brittany, on the beach of Saint-Colomban, has yielded a tool industry based on modified pebbles dating back 400,000 years. The raw materials that were worked on here were quartzite for larger pebbles as well as the rare bifacial pieces, and flint for the smaller tools.
The Terra Amata site is exceptional for understanding the Middle Pleistocene in southern France. Located on the slopes of Mont Boron in Nice, this site dates between isotope stage 11, a warming period, and isotope stage 10, which corresponds to a global cooling period. This site was occupied between 400,000 and 380,000 years ago by hominins. Subjected to an interdisciplinary study, this site provides us with information on paleoclimates, paleobiodiversity, and the behavior of hominins during this period.
The Massif karstique de Montmaurin is a significant limestone karst region located in southwestern France. Well known for its archaeological importance, particularly in relation to prehistoric human activity, the region incorporates the caves Grotte de Montmaurin, Grotte de la Terrasse (Acheuléen uniquement), Grotte de Coupe-Gorge (Moustérien aussi), Grotte Boule, Grotte La Niche.
Grottes de Montmaurin
The archaeological deposits in these caves span a long period, from the Mindel-Riss interglacial (around 400,000 years ago) to the Gallo-Roman era. Several of these caves have yielded human fossils, the most famous of which, from the Niche cave, is the Montmaurin mandible—the oldest known human fossil in France until the discovery of the Tautavel Man.
The prehistoric site known as “La Terrasse” is part of the Montmaurin cave complex (Haute-Garonne) that has yielded Lower Paleolithic industries. It was excavated under the direction of L. Méroc from 1946 to 1961, using the first “modern” excavation techniques.
Artifacts and findings include:
A great quantity of choppers, chopping tools, and bifaces, mainly made of quartzite.[10]
The Coupe-Gorge Cave is one of several prehistoric caves in the Montmaurin cave complex. This cave yielded human remains from the Middle Paleolithic period.
Grotte Boule is named in honor of French paleontologist Marcellin Boule, who focused on the study of prehistoric humans. The Cave is located in the Seygouade Gorge and has yielded many Middle Paleolithic artifacts.
The Montmaurin site, with its main caves being La Terrasse, Coupe-Gorge, and La Niche, is a significant site for understanding the early phases of the Paleolithic in France.
The prehistoric site of “La Terre-des-Sablons” in Lunery (Cher) was discovered in the 1980s, revealing around 50 lithic pieces. The sand quarry exploited fossil alluvial formations of the Cher River. Since 2003, interdisciplinary studies have been organized. The lithic pieces belong to the oldest formation, dated to approximately 1.166 million years ago.
One of the oldest sites in France with evidence of human activities, Grotte du Vallonnet, features a lithic assemblage and butchery marks on epivillafranchian fauna bones. The site shows an alternation between carnivore and human occupations, dating back to 1.05 million years ago.
This site dates back to 1.1 million years ago, contemporaneous with the wave of settlements by Lower Pleistocene hominins. Thousands of lithic artifacts have been uncovered at the site.
Tuffreau, Alain; Antoine, Pierre; Chase, Philip G.; et al. (1995). “Le gisement acheuléen de Cagny-l’Épinette (Somme).” Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française. Vol. 92, No. 2, pp. 169-192.
Grottes du Mas des Caves
The Mas des Caves are a karstic and archaeological site consisting of four caves located in the town of Lunel-Viel, in the Hérault region. The site boasts a rich fauna with more than 1,000 remains discovered, alongside evidence of a lithic industry.
Artifacts and findings include:
Faunal remains
Lithic tools and flakes
La Micoque
Located in the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, the La Micoque open-air site features a stratigraphy dating from 400,000 to 130,000 years ago. It includes Acheulean, Mousterian, and Micoquian levels, making it one of the oldest sites in Dordogne.
The site, located at the base of Mont Boron in Nice, features 28 human remains attributed to Homo heidelbergensis. It spans approximately 29 archaeological levels, including Acheulean (beginning around 190,000 years ago) and Mousterian layers.
Artifacts and findings include:
28 human remains attributed to Homo heidelbergensis.
The cave of Aldène is located in the commune of Cesseras in the Hérault department, south of the Montagne Noire mountain range. It has been frequented since the Lower Paleolithic and later adorned with engravings during the Aurignacian period. The cave also provided evidence of occupation dating from the Mesolithic and Bronze ages.
Falguères, Christophe; Ajaja, O.; Laurent, M.; and Bahain, Jean-Jacques (1991). “Datation de la Grotte d’Aldène (Cesseras, Hérault).” Bulletin du Musée d’Anthropologie préhistorique de Monac. Vol. 34, pp.18-27.
The stratigraphy at this site ranges from the Acheulean to the Mousterian period. A Neanderthal tooth was discovered within the Mousterian level, dated to approximately 74,000 years ago.
The shelter of Combe-Grenal presents a stratigraphy ranging from the Acheulean to the Mousterian. A Neanderthal tooth was discovered at the Mousterian level, dating to approximately 74,000 years ago.
The Roque Saint-Christophe is a large limestone rock formation and archaeological site near the Vézère in Aquitania, France. The natural cliff has been used as a shelter since around 55,000 years ago, when Neanderthal man occupied it. There is evidence of its later use by Cro-Magnon Homo sapiensaround 25,000 BCE, and the cliff became a fortified site during the medieval period.
Buy tickets and learn more about visiting the site through the site’s official website.
La Chapelle-aux-Saints
On August 3, 1908, the Bouyssonie brothers discovered the first almost complete skeleton and burial of a Neanderthal man in the “Bouffia Bonneval” cave near Chapelle-aux-Saints. This major find marked a milestone in prehistory and Neanderthal studies, making the man from Chapelle-aux-Saints a global reference and an essential milestone in human history.
The skeleton was entrusted to Marcellin Boule, French paleontologist and anthropologist, who published a widely publicized monograph, describing the man from La Chapelle-aux-Saints as the missing link between man and ape, creating a popular image of an archaic and bestial being.
Between June 1984 and April 1985, paleoanthropologist Jean-Louis Heim challenged these conclusions, demonstrating anatomical capacity for articulated language in the man from La Chapelle-aux-Saints. These analyses revealed social life among Neanderthals. Further excavation began in 1999, led until 2012 by Thierry Bismuth and resumed by Cédric Beauval (SARL Archéosphère) and William Rendu. They had the support of the Cultural Affairs Directorate of Limousin and funding from several partners (General Council, Regional Council, DRAC, Leader Fund, Crédit Agricole sponsorship).[13]
Combe-Capelle is part of a group of prehistoric sites (Ruffet plateau, Roc de Combe-Capelle, Abri Peyrony, Combe-Capelle Bas) located in the Couze Valley in the Dordogne department (France). Discovered in 1885, it is renowned for the excavation in 1909 of a human skeleton known as the “Man of Combe-Capelle.”
Neanderthal habitation on Jersey Island occurred at La Cotte de Saint-Brélade. The site is a steep ravine containing 250,000 years of evidence of human activity and habitation, the oldest site of its kind on Jersey.
An open-air site that was saved during preventive excavations due to the construction project of the northern TGV line. Several thousand lithic objects were discovered here.
Presence of a neolithic burial and traces of Neanderthal occupations were found in this shelter, discovered in 1972. Traces of cannibalism were also found here.
La Baume Bonne is an archaeological site located in a cave and shelter overlooking the Verdon River, in the commune of Quinson in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France. It features lithic industries dating back to 400,000 years ago.
The Paleolithic site of the Vaufrey Cave, or Cave XV of the Conte Massif, is located in the municipality of Cénac-et-Saint-Julien (Dordogne), 4 km south of Sarlat. Due to its location, it overlooks the confluence of the Céou and Dordogne rivers by more than 100 meters. It is situated 6 km west of the famous Combe-Grenal site and 10 km south-southwest of the Pech de l’Azé sites. The stratigraphy at this site ranges from the Acheulean to the Mousterian period. A Neanderthal tooth was discovered within the Mousterian level, dated to approximately 74,000 years ago.
Artifacts and findings include:
Animal bones, including those of bison, reindeer, wild horses, fox, wolves, and fish.[14]
La Ferrassie is a French prehistoric site in the commune of Savignac-de-Miremont, Dordogne, featuring a cave, a small shelter, and the “Grand Abri de la Ferrassie.” It is part of the prehistoric sites of the Vézère Valley, and has yielded rare remains of eight individuals dating from the Châtelperronian period, found within a rich archaeological record. Remains found here offer insights into the transition between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.[15] Notably, a Neanderthal burial (Ferrassie 8) dates from approximately 80,000 to 25,000 years ago.[16] The site exhibits both Mousterian and Aurignacian lithic industries.
Ormesson is one of the most significant open-air Paleolithic sites in France. It features four levels of Paleolithic occupation (Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Gravettian, and Solutrean) ranging from 100,000 to 20,000 years ago.
The Grotte de Gatzarria cave is located in the commune of Ossas-Suhare, Pyrénées-Atlantiques in the Arbailles Massif. It includes Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian levels. The complex stratigraphy reflects the transition from Middle Paleolithic to Upper Paleolithic industries.
The Gigny Cave is located at an altitude of 480 meters on the eastern flank of the Suran, a tributary of the Ain. In this cave, the oldest lithic industry in the Jura (approximately 145,000 years old) was discovered, along with a Mousterian sequence.
Artifacts and findings include:
10,801 bone and dental remains
Acheulean bifaces, shards, scrapers, and other lithic artifacts
Grotte Margot, or the Margot Cave, was first excavated during the second half of the 19th century. According to research, access to the cave was much more difficult during the Paleolithic era than it is now. At that time, it was necessary to crawl for several meters before being able to stand up. The cave features Mousterian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian levels, as well as Gallo-Roman remains.
Artifacts and findings include:
Paintings and engravings of birds and feminine figures
Human remains (five teeth) and evidence of hunting-related occupations with many faunal remains were discovered at the Le Rescondudou site. This site dates back to isotopic stage 5 (130,000-82,000 years ago).
Artifacts and findings include:
Five human teeth
Faunal remains from aurochs, bison, deer, rhinoceroses, and other animals
The Noisetier Cave yielded Mousterian artifacts and faunal remains. It is a karstic conduit approximately 20 meters long, located in the Vallée d’Aure.
The site comprises two deposits: Coudoulous I and Coudoulous II. It shows an alternation of animal and human occupations. The site was used by a group of Neanderthals for bison exploitation.
The Isturitz and Oxocelhaya Caves, or Oxocelhaya and Isturitz caves, form a series of natural caves frequented during prehistoric times, located on the natural site of the Gaztelu Hill in the Arberoue Valley, in Lower Navarre, within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. The hill where the caves are located can be compared to a cultural hub. Two periods of occupation have been identified: one at 80,000 years ago and the other at 50,000 years ago.
The Grotte du Lazaret cave contains approximately 27 archaeological levels, including an Acheulean level (beginning around 190,000 years ago) and a Mousterian level. Twenty-eight human remains attributed to Homo heidelbergensis have been discovered.
Artifacts and findings include:
Homo heidelbergensis remains
Acheulean stone tools
Circular charcoal concentrations (likely served as hearths)
Pucheuil is located at the edge of the Caux plateau, bordering the Bray region, 4 km south of Saint-Saëns. Lithic series differs from the Mousterian, and is based on a Levallois débitage chaîne opératoire, or an operational sequence. Rescue excavations were conducted in 1990 and 1991.
Artifacts and findings include:
Evidence of an incineration burial, accompanied by a ceramic vase and an iron bucket
At least 50 lithic pieces, including a biface, scraper, and spade
The prehistoric site of Les Fieux is located in the northern part of the Causse de Gramat, in the northern Quercy region, within the commune of Miers (Lot, France). It falls under the jurisdiction of the Causses et Vallée de la Dordogne intercommunal community and is situated on land acquired by this intercommunal organization.
The site contains evidence of human occupation ranging from the early Middle Paleolithic (340,000 years ago) to the Middle Ages, found in several distinct deposits, which includes a decorated cave extending into a collapsed karstic passage in its central part (“locus 1”) and an open-air site (“locus 2”). Les Fieux has undergone a significant development project aimed at its protection and public presentation. It has been open to visitors since June 2007.
A photo of excavation efforts at Grotte des Fieux.
Abri de Laussel encompasses the Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels and is located in the municipality of Marquay. “Abri” translates to “shelter,” and the site can be summarized as a rock shelter with engravings. Five engraved blocks were found here, most notably including human figures (“Horned Venus,” “The Hunter,” etc.).
The Pair-non-Pair Cave is an orène, or ornate, cave with engravings dated between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago, and thus Aurignacian. It is located in the municipality of Prignac-et-Marcamps. The site contains Mousterian lithic industries, Châtelperronian point level, and Aurignacian lithic industry. Portable art was found here, including a flute. The site also contains a level with Gravettian points.
Artifacts and findings include:
Wall engravings of large animals, including mammoths, bison, and ibex
A flute
Around 6,000 animal bones
Mousterian faunal remain from the Musée d’Aquitaine.
Centre des Monuments Nationaux Grotte de Pair-non-Pair: Visiting.
Biache-Saint-Vaast
The Biache-Saint-Vaast site (Northern France) is located in fine limestone formations rich in mollusks, which overlay the gravel of a low terrace in the Scarpe Valley, at the foot of the chalk escarpment of Artois.[19] The whole site is covered by a thick layer of Saalian and Weichselian loess, which allows it (Biache Interstadial) to be assigned a Middle Pleistocene age. The research spans the fields of geomorphology, lithostratigraphy, palynology, malacology, rodent studies, and archaeology.
The Bruniquel Cave, dated to 176,500 years ago, has revealed architectural structures built by Neanderthals: these consist of 400 juxtaposed, aligned, and stacked stalagmites.
Located barely 8 kilometers from the Dordogne Valley, just north of Gourdon, the Piage site is part of a group of caves and shelters opening—as is typical in the region—at the base of an imposing Coniacian limestone cliff. Site showing the succession of lithic cultures. Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Mousterian industries are interstratified due to a landslide. It also includes lithic material attributable to the Badegoulian and Solutrean (mixed, laurel leaves).
La Micoque is an open-air site in the municipality of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne. Stratigraphy here ranges from 400,000 to 130,000 years ago. The site spans Acheulean, Mousterian, and Micoquian levels, and it is one of the oldest sites in Dordogne.
The prehistoric site of La Borde is located in the Quercy region, on the edge of the Causse de Gramat, in the municipality of Livernon (Lot, France). It is a site specialized in the hunting, flintknapping (butchery), and consumption of aurochs during the Middle Paleolithic. The lithic and flint tools found here suggest that La Borde was a specialized site for the production of intricate stone tools.
Artifacts and findings include:
Lithic tools, predominantly crafted from local quartz
Choppers and unifaced tools
Flint tools produced using the Levallois technique
Mousterian occupation at the Grotte de la Crouzade dates between 50,000 and 42,000 years ago. Six human remains were discovered in the Mousterian level, and four Homo sapiens fossils, among the oldest specimens in Europe, were identified at the Aurignacian level. These were found alongside faunal remains. Layer E of the site reportedly contains lithic tools that exhibit characteristics of the Gravettian culture, though this is still under evaluation.
The Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure, or the Caves of Arcy-sur-Cure, are located in Yonne, France and are a network of prehistoric caves. These caves yield evidence of human habitation that spans more than 200,000 years. Among some of their notable features are blocks of coloring material and pigments which were used to create cave paintings.[20] Parietal paintings date to 28,000 years ago and human remains have been found here. The caves were excavated by French archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan in the 1950s.
Artifacts and findings include:
Cave art and paintings, including hand stencils and abstract markings
Lithic tools associated with both Neanderthals and early Anatomically Modern Humans
The La Balutie prehistoric site is located in the municipality of Montignac-Lascaux, Dordogne, near the Lascaux Cave. This was the first site discovered on the Lascaux hill, but was later forgotten. Neanderthal remains were found in the limestone cliff, along with faunal remains and lithic tools. The artifacts found here indicate occupation during the Mousterian, Aurignacian, and Solutrean lithic industry periods.
The Grotte des Fées, which translates to “Cave of Fairies,” is the generic name given to a set of two cavities located in Châtelperron, in the French department of Allier, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This complex contains an archaeological site that is the eponymous site of the Châtelperronian (around 38,000 to 32,000 years ago).
Located in the heart of the Vézère Valley, Castel Merle is located 15 minutes from the Lascaux Cave and 30 minutes from Les Eyzies-de-Tayac.
This authentic and protected site features remarkable rock shelters that were inhabited by prehistoric humans. The Reverdit, Castanet, and Blanchard shelters have been painted, engraved, and sculpted by Cro-Magnon man for the past 35,000 years.
A rock shelter at Castel Merle.
Artifacts and findings include:
Ivory ornaments
Shells
Necklaces representing some of the oldest jewelry in Europe
Analyses have placed human occupation of the Baume Flandin site at the end of the Marine Isotope Stage 5, and the evidence of human occupation here corresponds to short stops or seasonal hunting activities. The site is located on the Orgnac l’Aven plateau, near the Orgnac 3 site.
The Abri des Pêcheurs site dates to the end of isotope stage 5. Evidence of human occupation here is also corresponding to short stops or seasonal hunting activities. The site is located 30 kilometers east of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in the Chassezac Valley. Faunal remains found here serve as evidence of subsistence strategies that included food processing and butchering large mammals.
Le Grotte du Figuier is a prehistoric site that includes an important archaeological deposit and a decorated cave from the Paleolithic. It is located in the municipality of Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche (Ardèche). Occupation has been attributed to Neanderthals as well as modern humans. The site contains Solutrean points and Magdalenian artifacts, which indicates a long sequence of human occupation and activity.
The prehistoric sites of Beleayre are located within the municipality of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, near the boundary with Thonac. They are situated in one of the most charming sites of this beautiful and rich Vézère Valley, where nature has created numerous rock shelters.
Grotte de Queylou just outside Les Eyzies is a spectacular prehistoric site, which is not generally known. It also in many ways personifies what a prehistoric cave dwelling would be like, with large carved windows, shelves, benches, and other architectural features.
Artifacts and findings include:
Architectural features including windows and shelves
Roc de Combe (Lot, France) is one of the key sites concerning the Late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in southwestern France. The 1966’ excavation, led by French prehistorian François Bordes, has yielded some Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian and Gravettian rich assemblages.
La Grotte de la Mouthe is a decorated cave from the Upper Paleolithic. The cave is a single gallery that stretches 182 meters and contains more than 200 engravings and paintings, with representations of animals that include bison, horses, reindeer, and other symbols. The entrance of the site discovered in 1895 by Émile Rivière, and the site played an important role in the recognition of parietal art.
Plassard, Frédéric. (2022). “La Mouthe, grotte.” In Averbouh, Aline, Feruglio, Valérie, Plassard, Frédéric, and Sauvet, Georges (eds.), Bouquetins et Pyrénées. Presses Universitaires de Provence. Pp. 440-443.
Rivière, Émile. (1897). “La grotte de la Mouthe (Dordogne).” Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris. Vol. 8, pp. 302-329.
Excavations at Le Regourdou revealed a well-preserved Neanderthal burial from around 70,000 years ago, along with an abundance of brown bear remains (Ursus arctos). The finding of these bear bones suggest a ritualistic correlation between humans and bears here.
The Mandrin Cave is a rock shelter located in the commune of Malataverne, in the Drôme department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, within the natural and historical area of Tricastin. It was occupied during the Middle and Upper Paleolithic from 120,000 to 42,000 years ago, and suggests the presence of early modern humans overlapping with that of Neanderthals.
Artifacts and findings include:
Lithic tools, including flint tools characteristic of Mousterian technology
Roc de Marsal is a Middle Paleolithic prehistoric site located in Campagne, in the Dordogne region of France. This rock shelter notably yielded the fossil remains of a Neanderthal child in 1961, during excavations led by amateur archaeologist Jean Lafille.
The Combe-Grenal shelter is a prehistoric site located in the Dordogne department, within the commune of Domme. The shelter is privately owned and not open to visitors. Stratigraphy ranging from the Acheulean to the Mousterian. A Neanderthal tooth was discovered in the Mousterian level, dated to around 74,000 years ago.
The Abri des Merveilles is a rock shelter from 85,000 years ago and one of several Paleolithic sites in the Castel Merle Valley. The site contains three main archaeological contexts; the Mousterian lithic industry here left behind various lithic tools made of flint and rock crystal.[21]
Saint-Césaire is a rock shelter located near Saintes. Early occupations occurred during the Mousterian, followed by Châtelperronian and Aurignacian levels. Abundant Châtelperronian lithic material and Neanderthal remains were found in the same level, which dates to around 36,000 years ago.
Le Moustier is a prehistoric site in France located in the commune of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, near the border with the commune of Peyzac-le-Moustier, in the Vézère Valley in the Dordogne department. It includes two main shelters: the upper shelter (called Mousterian) and the lower shelter, located about 15 meters below on the same cliff. Excavations at Le Moustier uncovered Neanderthal skeletons, including that of one newborn.[22] The site was discovered in the 1860s and the lithic industry found here gave the name to the Mousterian culture.
The prehistoric site of La Quina is located in the municipality of Gardes-le-Pontaroux in Charente, France. It extends over nearly 700 meters and comprises two deposits: the upstream station and the downstream station. It was occupied during the Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian) and the early Upper Paleolithic (Châtelperronian and Aurignacian).
Artifacts and findings include:
Lithic tools made with a stepped flaking technique
Faunal remains, including those of bison and reindeer
Neanderthal remains
Mousterian Faunal Remain from La Quina.A Homo neanderthalensis skull cast (La Quina 18) on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Karreg-ar-Yellan is located in the commune of Ploubazlanec, Côtes d’Armor in Brittany. An open-air site now located on a beach, dated to 80,000 years ago. Mousterian industry with numerous handaxes and scrapers. Remains of megafauna were found in the sea.
The Grotte de la Roche-Cotard cave is covered with Neanderthal finger tracings, dated to between 57,000 and 75,000 years ago. These are the earliest unambiguous engravings known to be created by Neanderthals and showcase their expression through symbolism.[23]
La Micoque is located in the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne. It is an open-air site, and stratigraphy ranges from 400,000 to 130,000 years ago. The site spans Acheulean, Mousterian, and Micoquian levels and is one of the oldest sites in Dordogne.
La Ferrassie consists of three sites: a cave, a small shelter, and the “Grand abri de la Ferrassie,” which is the most significant of the three. La Ferrassie is a French prehistoric site located in the commune of Savignac-de-Miremont, in the Dordogne department. La Ferrassie is part of the prehistoric sites and decorated caves of the Vézère Valley.
The site has yielded rare remains of eight individuals dating to the Châtelperronian period, providing new insights into a lengthy period during which Neanderthals and Homo sapiens succeeded each other. It includes a Neanderthal burial (Ferrassie 8) and dates from approximately 80,000 to 25,000 years ago. The site features Mousterian and Aurignacian lithic industries.
Artifacts and findings include:
Neanderthal burial
Faunal remains, including those of large herbivores
The site showcases a sequence of lithic cultures, including Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Mousterian industries, which are interstratified due to a landslide. It also features lithic material attributable to the Badegoulian and Solutrean periods (mixed, including laurel leaves).
Book a visit using the contact information on hominides.com.
Les Bossats
The commune of Ormesson, Les Bossats in Seine-et-Marne is one of the most significant open-air Paleolithic sites in France. It features four Paleolithic occupation levels—Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Gravettian, and Solutrean—dating from 100,000 to 20,000 years ago.
Its initial discovery dates back to 1930, but systematic studies were not conducted until 2004. Following the Mousterian period, the Châtelperronian culture succeeded the Neanderthals at this site. At Les Bossats, the period is marked by flint blades with regular edges and sharp cutting tools. These sharp tools were made to process meat and bones. Inhabitants here used the same orange, red, and black colorants as the Neanderthals did.
Artifacts and findings include:
Lithic tools, including blades and other sharp cutting tools
The Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure includes blocks of coloring material and pigments, with wall paintings dated to 28,000 years ago. Human remains have also been found. It was excavated by French archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan in the 1950s. The presence of ornaments and pigments suggest a level of cultural sophistication similar to that of early Homo sapiens, blurring the line between AMHs and Neanderthals during the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition.
Discover the site through Grottes-arcy.net, the official website for the archaeological site.
Grotte de Pair-non-Pair
The Grotte de Pair-non-Pair is a Aurignacian cave filled with engravings that date to between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago, located in the commune of Prignac-et-Marcamps. It features Mousterian lithic industries, Châtelperronian point levels, and Aurignacian lithic industries. It also includes portable art, including a flute, and a level with Gravettian points.
Centre des Monument Nationaux Grotte de Pair-non-Pair: Visiting.
Grotte de Gatzarria
La Grotte de Gatzarria, or the Gatzarria Cave, is a prehistoric site located in the commune of Ossas-Suhare in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, within the Arbailles Massif. The site features Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian levels. The complex stratigraphy reflects the transition from Middle Paleolithic to Upper Paleolithic industries, which is rare for an archaeological site.
The site has yielded five decorated stone blocks, all well-known in prehistoric circles. The most famous of these is the “Venus of Laussel,” also known as the “Venus With the Horn.” Other notable pieces include “the Hunter,” the “Venus With the Grid Head,” the “Venus of the Playing Card,” and the “Venus of Berlin.” The “Priapus of Laussel” is also noteworthy.
The Saint-Césaire rock shelter located near Saintes shows initial occupations during the Mousterian period, followed by Châtelperronian and then Aurignacian levels. It features abundant Châtelperronian lithic material along with Neanderthal remains in the same level, which are dated to around 36,000 years ago.
This archaeological site consists of four interconnected cavities that form a true network: the Grotte du Pape, the Abri Dubalen, the Galerie du Mégacéros, and the Grotte des Hyènes. They are located in the village of Brassempouy and can be visited through the Préhistosite de Brassempouy.
Occupations at Abri Pataud date between 35,000 and 20,000 years ago. The site is found in the Eyzies-de-Tayac commune of Dordogne, France. A burial of a young woman and a newborn were found here as well as other human remains dating from the Gravettian period. Presence of engravings and portable art were found here, including the Venus of Abri Pataud. The site spans Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels.
La grotte de Gatzarria, or the cave of Gatzarria, is a prehistoric site in the commune of Ossas-Suhare, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is part of several prehistoric caves throughout the Arbailles Massif. The site spans Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian levels. Complex stratigraphy reflects the transition from Middle to Upper Paleolithic industries.
The Abri de Laussel spans Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels, and is located in the commune of Marquay. It has a rock shelter with engravings, and five engraved blocks featuring notable human figures (“Horned Venus,” “The Hunter,” etc.).
The caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya (Izturitze eta Otsozelaiko leizeak in Basque), also known as the Oxocelhaya and Isturitz caves, form a series of natural caves that were frequented during prehistoric times. They are located on the natural site of Gaztelu Hill in the Arberoue Valley, in Lower Navarre, within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.
The Margot Cave, or Grotte Margot, is an archaeological site and a decorated cave that is part of the Saulges cave group. It is located in the commune of Thorigné-en-Charnie, in Mayenne, within the Pays de la Loire region.
Artifacts and findings include:
Parietal art, including 95 abstract and figurative representations of animals
Engravings here date to the Aurignacian period. Footprints dated to the Mesolithic (-6000). Older occupations at the entrance of the cave dating from the Acheulean period.
Falguères, Christophe; Ajaja, Omar; Laurent, Michel; and Bahain, Jean-Jacques (1991). “Datation de la Grotte d’Aldène (Cesseras, Hérault).” Bulletin du Musée d’Anthropologie préhistorique de Monaco. Vol. 34, pp. 18-27.
The Grotte de la Crouzade, or the Crouzade Cave, is a large cavity carved into a limestone cliff in the Massif de la Clape, near Gruissan in the Aude department. It has been classified as a historical monument since June 30, 1928, under the designation of “habitation cave and rock shelter of La Crouzade.”
Blocks of coloring material and pigments, parietal paintings dated to 28 ka, and human remains were found at the site. It was excavated by archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan in the 1950s.
This archaeological site consists of four interconnected cavities that form a true network: Grotte du Pape, Abri Dubalen, Galerie du Mégacéros, and Grotte des Hyènes.
Grotte des Fées houses Mousterian, Aurignacian, and Châtelperronian industries. It contains an archaeological site which is the eponymous site of the Châtelperronian.
The Grotte des Hyènes, or the Hyena Cave, is one of the cavities at the Arcy-sur-Cure cave site in the Yonne department of Burgundy-Franche-Comté (formerly the Burgundy region) in France. It has yielded the oldest known remains at Arcy, which French archaeologist Leroi-Gourhan described as “pre-Neanderthal.” The cave is listed as a historical monument.
The Gisement du Piage site displays the succession of lithic cultures. Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Mousterian industries are interstratified due to a landslide. In addition, lithic material attributable to the Badegoulian and Solutrean periods was found here.
Roc de Combe in Lot, France is one of the key sites concerning the Late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in southwestern France. The 1966 excavation, led by French prehistorian François Bordes, has yielded some Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian and Gravettian rich assemblages.
The Grotte de Pair-non-Pair site is the Aurignacian cave of engravings, dated between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago, located in the commune of Prignac-et-Marcamps. It features Mousterian lithic industries, Châtelperronian point levels, and Aurignacian lithic industries. It also includes portable art, including a flute, and a level with Gravettian points.
Artifacts and findings include:
Wall engravings of large animals, including mammoths, bison, and ibex
The Saint-Césaire rock shelter located near Saintes shows initial occupations during the Mousterian period, followed by Châtelperronian and then Aurignacian levels. It features abundant Châtelperronian lithic material along with Neanderthal remains in the same level, which are dated to around 36,000 years ago.
The Mas-d’Azil Cave is a prehistoric cave located in the commune of Mas-d’Azil in the Ariège department, in the heart of the French Pyrenees, in the Occitanie region (formerly Midi-Pyrénées), France. The cave is unique in that it is traversed by both a road and the Arize River, which carved the cavity, and is one of the few caves in the world that can be crossed by car. The cave was occupied during various prehistoric and historical periods and has given its name to a prehistoric culture, the Azilian.
La Balutie is located in the commune of Montignac-Lascaux, Dordogne, near the Lascaux Cave. It was the first site discovered on the Lascaux Hill but later forgotten. Neanderthal remains were found here, along with Mousterian, Aurignacian, and Solutrean lithic industries.
The Grotte de Chauvet, or the Chauvet Cave, is located in the commune of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. The cave was discovered by chance in December 1994 by speleologists Jean-Marie Chauvet—after whom the cave is named—Éliette Brunel, and Christian Hillaire. The site dates to 36,000 years ago, from the Aurignacian period. The Chauvet Cave is known for its ornate paintings and engravings. These paintings are more than 1,000 in number and include detailed animal depictions, namely of lions, mammoths, bison, horses, reindeer, and other animals.
Two distinct periods of human occupation at the site were confirmed through radiocarbon dating: around 36,500 years ago during the Aurignacian period, and around 31,000 years ago during the Gravettian period. The cave was sealed off by a rockfall, preserving the cave and its contents for around 20,000 years. Though the site is not visitable due to its fragility, a replica was made to allow visitors to experience the site.
Occupations at Abri Pataud date between 35,000 and 20,000 years ago. The site is found in the Eyzies-de-Tayac commune of Dordogne, France. A burial of a young woman and a newborn were found here as well as other human remains dating from the Gravettian period. Presence of engravings and portable art were also found here, including the Venus of Abri Pataud. The site spans Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels.
The Abri du Roc d’Acier is a limestone rock shelter on the left side of the Vallon des Roches, opening onto the left bank of the Vézère River. The first excavations were undertaken by archeologist Alain Reverdit in 1878. They were continued in 1911 and 1912 by M. Castanet and F. Delage. They revealed two Upper Périgordian occupations, separated by a thin layer of debris. Numerous artifacts were discovered: tools, points, bone awls, perforated shells (which likely formed a prehistoric ornament). The shelter is now almost completely covered by vegetation.
The Grotte du Pech Merle, or the Pech Merle Cave, is a decorated cave located in the commune of Cabrerets, in the Lot department, in the Occitanie region of France. It opens in a hill overlooking the valleys of the Sagne and Célé rivers, in the Quercy region. It contains parietal paintings dated from the Gravettian to the Magdalenian periods. This cave is one of the most renowned decorated caves in France.
The Gatzarria Cave (the cave of “salt rock” in Basque) is a prehistoric site located in the commune of Ossas-Suhare, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, France. Successive excavations have revealed layers from the Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Proto-Aurignacian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian periods. The cave is part of a group of several prehistoric occupation caves scattered throughout the Arbailles Massif. The use of multiple regional sources of flint indicates that human groups here had extensive knowledge of the regional territory.
The Grotte Mayenne, located in the commune of Thorigné-en-Charnie in the Pays de la Loire region, was designated a historical monument site in 1970. It is known for its parietal art.
The burial of the Lady of Cavillon, dated to about 24,000 years ago. The burial contained numerous burial objects, more than 300 shells, and punctured deer teeth. The skeleton was also covered in ocher.
Located in the commune of Brive-la-Gaillarde, the archaeological sequence at Grotte Bouyssonie features Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, and Azilian levels, as well as Mesolithic and Neolithic layers.
The Crouzade Cave is a large cavity carved into a limestone cliff in the Massif de la Clape, near Gruissan in the Aude department. It has been classified as a historical monument since June 30, 1928, under the designation of “habitation cave and rock shelter of La Crouzade.”
Ormesson is one of the most significant open-air Paleolithic sites in France. It features four levels of Paleolithic occupation (Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Gravettian, and Solutrean) ranging from 100,000 to 20,000 years ago. Gravettian groups established a temporary camp at Bossats on a sandy beach. Prior to this, there was a nearly 20,000 year gap in the site’s occupation. Evidence of daily life includes two fireplaces, 17,000 cut flints, and the remains of eight bisons.
The Grotte de Pair-non-Pair is an ornate cave with engravings dated between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago, thus Aurignacian. It is located in the municipality of Prignac-et-Marcamps and has Mousterian lithic industries, Châtelperronian point level, Aurignacian lithic industry. It also contains a level with Gravettian points.
Artifacts and findings include:
Portable art, including a flute
Gravettian lithic points
A scapula from Grotte de Pair-non-Pair, housed in the Musée d’Aquitaine.
Abri du Poisson is a rock shelter with one of the rare representations of a fish in bas-relief (presumed to be a salmon). Located in the Valley of Gorge d’Enfer, Eyzies-de-Tayac.
Located at the confluence of the Rhône and Ardèche gorges, the open-air site of Mas Aguilhon reveals evidence of a possible Gravettian occupation within a region where Upper Paleolithic cultural facies still need to be characterized.
The Abri de Laussel spans Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels, and is located in the commune of Marquay. Rock shelter with engravings. Five engraved blocks featuring notable human figures (“Horned Venus,” “The Hunter,” etc.).
This archaeological site consists of four interconnected cavities that form a true network: the Grotte du Pape, the Abri Dubalen, the Galerie du Mégacéros, and the Grotte des Hyènes.
As the site is part of the archaeological complex of Brassempuoy, the Grotte du Pape can be visited through the Préhistosite de Brassempouy.
Abri Cro-Magnon
Abri Cro-Magnon is a Upper Paleolithic site located in the commune of Eyzies-les-Tayac (Dordogne) discovered in 1868 during construction work. A collection of lithic artifacts, engraved bones, and especially human fossils and shell ornaments were found, which made “Cro-Magnon Man” a notable figure in prehistory. Since 1979 it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Grotte Cosquer is a cave that is currently accessible only through an underwater entrance. It has been occupied during two periods (Gravettian and Solutrean). The Gravettian period, dated to 27,000 years ago, includes numerous digital tracings. There was a long history of human occupation at the Cosquer Cave, with two major, almost uninterrupted, phases of occupation.
Artifacts and findings include:
Parietal art: engravings, paintings, and handprints
Sources on Grotte Cosquer
Clottes, Jean; Courtin, Jean; Valladas, Hélène; Cachier, Hélène; et al. (1992). “La Grotte Cosquer datée.” Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française. Vol. 89, No. 8.
Grotte de Gargas is a cave dated to 27,000 years ago that has yielded lithic and bone tools, fossilized animal remains, as well as parietal art (hand stencils).
Artifacts and findings include:
Parietal art: handprints
Faunal remains
Lithic tools
Bone tools
Sources on Grotte de Gargas
Foucher, Pascal, and San Juan Foucher, Cristina (2023). “La grotte de Gargas (Aventignan, Hautes-Pyrénées).” In L’art préhistorique de l’Atlantique à la Méditerranée (pp. 194-197). Musée d’Aquitaine—Errance et Picard.
Grotte de Cussac is a cave of primary importance under scientific protection due to ongoing studies, dated to 28,000-31,000 years ago. Parietal art and a large number of burials have been discovered here. The cave has also been analyzed for the oldest known leather shoe prints in current research.
Artifacts and findings include:
Prints from a human palm, fingerprints, a slipped heel, and two other heel prints
A series of caves that have yielded numerous fossils of animals and humans, as well as an abundance of archaeological material, including two very well-preserved Venus figurines.
A decorated cave that has yielded numerous paintings, including those of megafauna. One of the two periods of occupation is dated to the Gravettian (25,000 years ago).
Gravettian occupation at Abri de Laugerie-Haute (Vallée de la Vézère in Dordogne) dated to 24,000 years ago, which has yielded numerous lithic artifacts as well as ornamental objects.
Occupations at Abri Pataud date between 35,000 and 20,000 years ago. The site is found in the Eyzies-de-Tayac commune of Dordogne, France. A burial of a young woman and a newborn were found here as well as other human remains dating from the Gravettian period. Presence of engravings and portable art were also found here, including the Venus of Abri Pataud. The site spans Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels.
A cave known since the 19th century, with Mousterian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian levels. The Solutrean level yielded parietal art in 1990, specifically a 5-meter-long frieze depicting fauna, created with fine incisions. It is dated to approximately 20,000 years ago.
Site presenting a sequence of lithic cultures. Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Mousterian industries are interstratified due to a landslide. The site also contains lithic material attributable to the Badegoulian and Solutrean (mixed and laurel leaves).
The cave is located in the commune of Bidon (in the Ardèche department). Known for its decorated caves, dated to the Late Gravettian and Early Solutrean periods.
The Grotte Margot Cave was first excavated during the second half of the 19th century. According to research, access to the cave was much more difficult during the Paleolithic era than it is now. At that time, it was necessary to crawl for several meters before being able to stand up. The cave features Mousterian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian levels, as well as Gallo-Roman remains.
The caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya form a series of natural caves that were frequented during prehistoric times. They are located on the natural site of Gaztelu Hill in the Arberoue Valley, in Lower Navarre, within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.
La Balutie, or the prehistoric deposit of La Balutie, is located in the commune of Montignac-Lascaux, Dordogne, near the Lascaux Cave. It was the first site discovered on the Lascaux Hill but fell into obscurity.
Artifacts and findings include:
Neanderthal remains
Lithic industries (Mousterian, Aurignacian, and Solutrean)
Ormesson, Les Bossats is one of the most significant open-air Paleolithic sites in France. It features four levels of Paleolithic occupation (Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Gravettian, and Solutrean) ranging from 100,000 to 20,000 years ago.
Combe Saunière is one of the rare Paleolithic habitats known in France. It is a closed environment covering nearly all the major periods recognized in the regional Paleolithic.
The Abri de Laussel site spans Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Solutrean levels, and is located in the commune of Marquay. Rock shelter with engravings. Five engraved blocks featuring notable human figures (“Horned Venus,” “The Hunter,” etc.).
The Roc de Sers archaeological site is located in the Roc Valley in the municipality of Sers. It is known for its prehistoric art, as it features some of the oldest examples of sculpted friezes in Europe. The relief carvings at Roc de Sers depict bison, ibex, horses, reindeer, and deer.
Artifacts and findings include:
Relief carvings depicting animals, including bison and ibex
Brive-la-Gaillarde. The archaeological sequence at the Grotte Bouyssonie features Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, and Azilian levels, as well as Mesolithic and Neolithic layers.
This archaeological site consists of four interconnected cavities that form a true network: Grotte du Pape, Abri Dubalen, Galerie du Mégacéros, and Grotte des Hyènes.
As the site is part of the archaeological complex of Brassempuoy, the Grotte du Pape can be visited through the Préhistosite de Brassempouy.
Abri de Laugerie-Haute
Gravettian occupation at Abri de Laugerie-Haute (Vallée de la Vézère in Dordogne) dated to 24,000 years ago, which has yielded numerous lithic artifacts as well as ornamental objects.
The Lascaux Cave is the star of decorated caves and prehistoric parietal art. Located in the Vézère Valley (in the commune of Montignac-Lascaux, Dordogne) and dated to 21,000 years ago (Solutrean period), the cave is unique due to the quantity, preservation, and aesthetic quality of its paintings. Some of the paintings were made at great heights. This cave has been the subject of numerous studies and interpretations of its frescoes. It is sometimes called the “Sistine Chapel of parietal art” or the “Versailles of Prehistory.” The cave has been closed to the public since 1963 and is accessible only to scientists for preservation reasons. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Site presenting a sequence of lithic cultures. Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Mousterian industries are interstratified due to a landslide. The site also contains lithic material attributable to the Badegoulian and Solutrean (mixed and laurel leaves).
The Grottes de Saint-Christophe, or the Caves of Saint-Christophe, are a set of two caves, an upper cave and a lower cave, located in the municipality of Saint-Christophe. These caves indicate human occupation, especially during the Madgelenian and Azilian periods. Many tools have been discovered here.
Learn more about the area and read reviews from prior visitors on Tripadvisor.
Grotte de Thaïs
The Grotte de Thaïs, or the Thaïs Cave, is a cave located east of the village of Saint-Nazaire-en-Royans. The underground river, Thaïs River, flows into the Bourne River from the cave. The cave is characterized by its past inhabitation by hunter-gatherer groups approximately 15,000 years ago.
Artifacts and findings:
A notched bone, possibly depicting the oldest calendar
A cave known since the 19th century, with Mousterian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian levels. The Solutrean level yielded parietal art in 1990, specifically a 5-meter-long frieze depicting fauna, created with fine incisions. It is dated to approximately 20,000 years ago.
The Taillis des Coteaux Cave in Antigny (Vienne), discovered in 1998 and excavated since 2000, preserves an exceptional stratigraphy covering almost the entire Upper Paleolithic period, from the Aurignacian through to the Middle Magdalenian, including the Gravettian, Badegoulian, and Lower Magdalenian. The latter reveals an archaeological assemblage with original typotechnological characteristics, rich in backed microliths, which are reminiscent of the Magdalenian but with datings around 17,000 BP that are more akin to the Badegoulian. This leads researchers to question whether the significant investment in microlith production might be a Magdalenian specificity and, consequently, one of its identifying features.
Artifacts and findings include:
Lithic assemblage rich in microliths
Sources on Grotte du Taillis des Coteaux
Primault, Jérôme; Brou, Laurent; Gabilleau, Joël; Langlais, Mathieu; et al. (2007). “La grotte du Taillis des Coteaux à Antigny (Vienne).” Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française. Vol. 104, No. 4, pp. 743-758.
The Bois-de-Riquet is a group of prehistoric sites located in the commune of Lézignan-la-Cèbe, in the Hérault department of France. To date, seven sites (locus 1 to 7) have been identified, covering all cultural periods from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic, spanning approximately 1.2 million years to around 3,000 BCE, with a concentration of lithic remains from the Early Middle Paleolithic period (from 350,000 to 150,000 years ago).
Gravettian occupation (Vallée de la Vézère in Dordogne) at Grotte de la Mouthe dated to 24,000 years ago, which has yielded numerous lithic artifacts as well as ornaments.
The Grotte des Fadets, located near the Grotte de la Marche, has yielded engraved plaques from the Magdalenian period, as well as lithic and bone tools from the same era.
Located in the commune of Campôme in the Pyrénées-Orientales, this is the only known example of open-air rock art from the Paleolithic in France. Standing 2.30 meters high and 3.90 meters wide at the base, it features 17 animal representations and 23 geometric figures (chevrons, zigzags, reticulated patterns, and claviform shapes). The most frequently depicted species are the Pyrenean ibex and the chamois. Two bird figures are also present, likely representing a vulture and a great crested grebe. Based on stylistic evidence, the animal depictions at Fornols are attributed to the Final Magdalenian period.
Blocks of coloring material and pigments, parietal paintings dated to 28 ka, and human remains were found at the site. It was excavated by André Leroi-Gourhan in the 1950s.
The Etiolles site (Les Coudray) is a typical Magdalenian site (16,000-12,000 years ago). The site is of prime importance for understanding the lifestyle of Magdalenian hunters, particularly in their practices related to hunting reindeer and horses. The flint tools, in particular, help to reconstruct the daily life of these nomadic populations in the Paris region, which was a cold steppe during the late Upper Paleolithic.
The caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya form a series of natural caves that were frequented during prehistoric times. They are located on the natural site of Gaztelu Hill in the Arberoue Valley, in Lower Navarre, within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.
The archaeological deposits in the Grottes de Montmaurin caves span a long period, from the Mindel-Riss interglacial (around 400,000 years ago) to the Gallo-Roman era. Several of these caves have yielded human fossils, the most famous of which, from the Niche Cave, is the Montmaurin mandible—the oldest known human fossil in France until the discovery of the Tautavel Man.
Listen to a podcast episode of L’Entretian archaeologique, “Dans la grotte “coupe-gorge“ à Montmaurin (Haute-Garonne)” about the Montmaurin caves on radiofrance.fr.
La Peyzie
La Peyzie is a limestone ledge approximately 300 meters long located in the northern part of the Dordogne department. It has yielded several rock shelters/caves, some of which were subject to archaeological investigations in the last century. Despite the challenging nature of the bibliographic data, the initial excavations in 1930 revealed occupations characteristic of the late Upper Paleolithic, particularly the Magdalenian period. The resumption of excavations, which we have been conducting on the site since 2019, aims to assess the archaeological potential of the cliff and to search for potentially undisturbed Magdalenian layers.
After two survey campaigns conducted in 2019 and 2021, the three-year program, started in 2022, aims to clarify the nature of the occupations at Peyzie IV—an entrance to a cave that had not been previously explored and which has provided several clues about a still poorly documented phase of the Magdalenian in the region: the transition between the Middle and Upper Magdalenian.
An Alsatian site, recognized in 2006, located in the commune of Wolschwiller, the Abri de Blenien site yielded lithic and bone assemblages during the 2012 excavations. Evidence of souslik consumption was discovered there.
Located 65 km from Les Eyzies, the Grotte de Gabillou Cave is adorned with more than 200 engravings. Several Magdalenian sandstone oil lamps have been found there.
Artifacts and findings include:
Oil lamps
Parietal art, more than 200 engravings
Oil lamps from Grotte de Gabillou, housed at the Musée d’Aquitaine.
The Moulin Cave is a decorated rock shelter located in Troubat en Barousse, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of the Occitanie region in France. Often called the “Troubat Cave,” although it is not the only cave in the commune, it is sometimes referred to in the plural due to its two entrances.
The cave was occupied from the Magdalenian period to the Bronze Age and contains parietal (wall) decorations.
A depiction of the inside of the Grotte de Troubat.
Solvieux is a large open-air site in the middle Isle Basin. It has stratigraphical sequences from the Middle Paleolithic to the Magdalenian. J. Sackett’s excavations in this area have yielded an unknown industry in Southwestern France, between the Mousterian and the Aurignacian.
The Crouzade Cave is a large cavity carved into a limestone cliff in the Massif de la Clape, near Gruissan in the Aude department. It has been classified as a historical monument since June 30, 1928, under the designation of “habitation cave and rock shelter of La Crouzade.”
The gravettian series of Peyrugues is temporarily made up of stack of 13 levels of occupation. The six upper excavated levels show—going back in the stratigraphy—the cultural characteristics as follows: Protomagdalénien (level 18), Gravettien with truncated slice (levels 20 and 20a), Gravettien with pointe des Vachons (21b, 21d and 22).
The Niaux Cave is a decorated cave from the Upper Paleolithic that has yielded numerous Magdalenian parietal figures. It is located in France, in the Occitanie region, in the department of Ariège, within the commune of Niaux, and opens halfway up the Vicdessos Valley. It is part of the network of decorated caves in the Pyrenean-Cantabrian mountain range.
Also known as the Mammoth Cave, it is located 1 km upstream from Domme, on the left bank of the Dordogne Valley. The Mammoth Cave was discovered in 1978 and features engravings and sculptures.
The Roc-aux-Sorciers is a rock shelter featuring parietal sculptures dated to the Upper Paleolithic. It is located in the commune of Angles-sur-l’Anglin, in the Vienne department of France. The parietal artworks are more specifically attributed to the Late Magdalenian period, approximately 14,000 years ago.
Grotte des Trois-Frères is located in the commune of Montesquieu-Avantès, Ariège. The cave is covered in 1,300 engravings and paintings, including the famous “Dancing Shaman.”
Abri Morin is a prehistoric rock shelter, primarily dated to the Magdalenian period, located in the commune of Pessac-sur-Dordogne, in Gironde, within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Numerous collections of engraved bones representing fauna have been discovered there.
Commarque Cave is located in Sireuil, in the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil (Dordogne) in Périgord. The cave is situated beneath a fortified castle currently under restoration. The walls are covered with engravings from the Magdalenian period.
The Bernifal Cave was occupied by humans during the Magdalenian period, between approximately 15,000 and 10,000 years ago. They left behind painted and engraved signs and depictions of animals.
Pétillon, Jean-Marc (2019). “Sainte-Colome, grotte Tastet, fouille 2017.” Bilan scientifique régional Nouvelle-Aquitaine. TRACES—Travaux et recherches archéologiques sur les cultures, les espaces et les sociétés.
The Combarelles Cave is an ornately decorated cave located in the commune of Les Eyzies, in Dordogne, France. With more than 600 engravings, it is considered a major site of Magdalenian cave art. It is one of the 15 “prehistoric sites and decorated caves of the Vézère Valley” listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
This archaeological site consists of four interconnected cavities that form a true network: Grotte du Pape, Abri Dubalen, Galerie du Mégacéros, and Grotte des Hyènes.
As the site is part of the archaeological complex of Brassempuoy, the Grotte du Pape can be visited through the Préhistosite de Brassempouy.
Grotte des Hyènes
The Grotte des Hyènes, or the Hyena Cave, is one of the cavities at the Arcy-sur-Cure cave site in the Yonne department of Burgundy-Franche-Comté (formerly the Burgundy region) in France. It has yielded the oldest known remains at Arcy, which French archaeologist Leroi-Gourhan described as “pre-Neanderthal.” The cave is listed as a historical monument.
As the site is part of the archaeological complex of Brassempuoy, the Grotte des Hyènes can be visited through the Préhistosite de Brassempouy.
Abri de la Madeleine
A rock shelter in the commune of Tursac in Dordogne, the Abri de la Madeleine site has yielded numerous objects of Magdalenian portable art as well as the tomb of a child aged four to six years old.
Visit Le Village de La Madeleine through their website.
Grotte du Mas-d’Azil
The Mas-d’Azil Cave is a prehistoric cave located in the commune of Mas-d’Azil in the Ariège department, in the heart of the French Pyrenees, in the Occitanie region (formerly Midi-Pyrénées), France. The cave is unique in that it is traversed by both a road and the Arize River, which carved the cavity. It is one of the few caves in the world that can be crossed by car. The cave was occupied during various prehistoric and historical periods and has given its name to a prehistoric culture, the Azilian.
Located in the commune of Lussac-les-Châteaux in Poitou-Charentes, the Grotte de la Marche is one of the most significant sites for Magdalenian stone engravings. The Musée de l’Homme notably holds a collection of 1,512 engraved limestone plaques from this site. The site has also yielded dental remains of Magdalenian hunter-gatherers.
Make a reservation to visit Grotte de Bara-Bahau through Bara-bahau.fr.
Grotte de Rouffignac
Located in the Labinche Valley, the galleries at Grotte de Rouffignac are adorned with 158 mammoths alongside woolly rhinoceroses, bison, horses, and ibex. The figures are deeply engraved or painted in black. Four human representations and tectiform signs are also present. The paintings and human activity at Grotte de Rouffignac date from 13,000 to 19,000 BP.
Grottes de Cougnac is a decorated cave that has yielded numerous paintings, including those of megafauna. One of the two periods of occupation is dated to the Gravettian (25,000 years ago). Punctuated signs and symbols in the cave is thought to be more recent, estimated to be 14,000 years old (Magdalenian).
The Putois Cave in Montmaurin has yielded significant Magdalenian lithic material, including blades, blade cores, and burins, as well as bone objects in varying states of preservation.
Pincevent, located in the open-air on the outskirts of La Grande-Paroisse in Seine-et-Marne, along the Seine Valley downstream from Montereau-Fault-Yonne, is a significant prehistoric site. It stands out as the largest excavated Magdalenian deposit in Europe and is among the best preserved ones. This site yielded remains of a seasonal Magdalenian hunting camp dating back approximately 12,300 years before the present (BP). Discovered in 1964, and subsequently excavated under the guidance of André Leroi-Gourhan, Pincevent has played a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of the Magdalenian period and refining methods in prehistoric archaeology.
The Font-de-Gaume Cave is a French decorated cave located in the former municipality of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac (now part of the new municipality of Les Eyzies) in the Dordogne department. Its walls feature more than 200 Magdalenian engravings and paintings.
Font-de-Gaume Cave is among the last major decorated caves in France displaying polychrome artworks that are open to the public. The artworks, while comparable in richness to those in Arcy-sur-Cure (the oldest known accessible parietal art), Altamira, or Lascaux, have a noticeably lower level of preservation.
The site is one of the 15 “Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley,” listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Cave paintings, portable art, engravings on plaques, and more can be found at this site. In total, nearly 440 representations adorn the walls and floor of the cave, accompanied by more than 1,000 artifacts such as engraved plaques, wood or bone carvings, and tools.
15,000 years ago, the Magdalenians explored the entire cave, leaving behind traces of their presence and evidence of recurring occupation through the remnants of fires.
The Sorcerer’s Cave, also known as Saint-Cirq, is a prehistoric cave adorned with engravings by the people of the Magdalenian era. Nestled on the cliffside, in the midst of the village of Saint-Cirq, it is close to a stunning bamboo forest, between Les Eyzies and Le Bugue in Dordogne.
The Gouërris Cave, located in the commune of Lespugue in Haute-Garonne, has yielded burials containing funerary artifacts. Its lithic industry is classified as Laborian.
The Mas-d’Azil Cave is a prehistoric cave located in the commune of Mas-d’Azil in the Ariège department, in the heart of the French Pyrenees, in the Occitanie region (formerly Midi-Pyrénées), France. The cave is unique in that it is traversed by both a road and the Arize River, which carved the cavity. It is one of the few caves in the world that can be crossed by car. The cave was occupied during various prehistoric and historical periods and has given its name to a prehistoric culture, the Azilian.
Rock shelter of the Rocher de l’Impératrice and archaeological excavation site, in Plougastel-Daoulas, Finistère is located at the base of a large Armorican sandstone cliff. This rock shelter was used during successive short-term occupations from Prehistory to the present day. It was primarily occupied at the beginning of the Azilian period (Upper Paleolithic), around 14,500 years ago, as a campsite by small groups of hunters operating in what is now the Brest roadstead, which was then a vast steppe. Discovered in 1987, the site has been excavated during successive campaigns each summer since 2013. The archaeological excavations have uncovered a homogeneous lithic assemblage characteristic of the early Azilian period, as well as engraved shale plaques, a graphic corpus of major artistic significance at both the regional and European levels. These are the oldest traces of art in Brittany and also rare testimonies from this period of the Paleolithic.
Artifacts and findings include:
Engraved lithic plates
Large proportion of flint tools and little evidence of flint production
The site of Pas Loubat is located on the edge of a small stream, at an altitude of 33 meters, in the commune of Asnières-la-Giraud (Charente-Maritime). It was discovered by chance in February 2020 by a local resident (G. Giovannini) who noticed flint pieces after stream improvement works were carried out more than 10 years ago. After reporting it to the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, a sorting process was conducted, allowing the recovery of more than 2,000 lithic and bone pieces. A preliminary study was thus carried out in 2021. The results highlight the interesting potential of this small series, which, thanks to the presence of a homogeneous lithic assemblage associated with faunal remains, contributes to the understanding of the recent phase of the Azilian in the Center-West and beyond.
The Closeau site (Rueil-Malmaison, Hauts-de-Seine) is the reference site for the end of the Late Glacial period in northern France. The distribution, across several stratigraphic layers, of 79 concentrations of artifacts allows for a nuanced understanding of the technical, economic, and social changes that characterized human societies from the end of the Bølling (lower level) to the very end of the Recent Dryas (southern RN13 sector). The issues underlying the final phases of the Azilian period are explicitly addressed at Closeau through the presence of at least one occupation unit attributed to the Laborian (Locus 25: Bodu dir. 1998; Bodu 2000; Debout 2000), located in a stratigraphic horizon where there are also concentrations with more Azilian affinities (locus 36, 41, 45 being the main ones).
The Pinelles site is another notable archaeological site related to the Azilian period. Located in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France, the site provides valuable information about the Azilian culture, which dates from approximately 10,000 to 8,000 BCE.
Artifacts and findings include:
Hearth
Lithic tools: backed points, endscrapers, and cores
The Lempdes site is an important archaeological site in France, associated with the Azilian period. Located in the Puy-de-Dôme department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the site provides valuable insights into the Late Upper Paleolithic period in this region.
The Morin Shelter is a prehistoric rock shelter, primarily dated to the Magdalenian period, located in the commune of Pessac-sur-Dordogne, in Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Discovered in 1990, the Peyrazet cave-rock shelter (Creysse, Lot) lies in the Haut-Quercy region at the limits of the Martel limestone plateau, several hundred meters from the current Dordogne River Valley.
It is known for multiple aspects: its wealth of artwork, the abundance of its lithic and bone industries, and the large quantity and diversity of its paleofauna. Long regarded as an example of the “Azilianization” of the final Magdalenian, according to the model proposed by French prehistorian François Bordes and Denise de Sonneville-Bordes in the 1970s, its reevaluation in 2015 led to the attribution of its most recent stratigraphic layers to the Laborian.
The Gouërris cave, located in the commune of Lespugue in Haute-Garonne, has yielded burials containing funerary artifacts. Its lithic industry is classified as Laborian.
Artifacts and findings include:
Burials and associated objects
Lithic tools, including blades, chisels, drills, and microlithic tools
The Grotte de la Crouzade, or the Crouzade Cave, is a large cavity carved into a limestone cliff in the Massif de la Clape, near Gruissan in the Aude department. It has been classified as a historical monument since June 30, 1928, under the designation of “habitation cave and rock shelter of La Crouzade.”
The rock shelter site of Grande Rivoire is a prehistoric archaeological site located in the commune of Sassenage, on the slopes of the Vercors Massif, in the Isère department and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
A group of caves in the Bruyère gorges (Comps-sur-Artuby and Seillans—Var) has revealed traces of human occupation, spanning the late Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Protohistoric periods, discovered in 2024. New surveys, extensive excavations, and additional prospecting will be conducted in this promising complex.
The Cave of Aldène is located in the commune of Cesseras in the Hérault department, south of the Montagne Noire mountain range. It has been frequented since the Lower Paleolithic and later adorned with engravings during the Aurignacian period. The cave also provided evidence of occupation dating from the Mesolithic and Bronze ages.
Falguères, Christophe; Ajaja, Omar.; Laurent, Michel; and Bahain, Jean-Jacques. (1991). “Datation de la Grotte d’Aldène (Cesseras, Hérault).” Bulletin du Musée d’Anthropologie préhistorique de Monac. Vol. 34, pp. 18-27.
The 1933 archaeological excavations conducted by amateur archaeologists Marthe and Saint-Just Péquart uncovered several hearths and nine Mesolithic graves (5,500/5,000 BCE, the final period of hunter-gatherer societies) on the island. Shell middens preserved the bones of 14 individuals and provide insights into the diet of these populations, which was largely based on aquatic resources. The typology of these burials is similar to those at Téviec (an islet off the coast of Quiberon). The deceased were buried with flint tools, pendants, shell necklaces, bone implements, and deer antlers framing some of the bodies.
Téviec is one of the few Mesolithic sites remaining in Brittany, alongside Pointe de la Torche, Hoëdic, and Beg-er-Vil on the Quiberon Peninsula. A settlement and cemetery from this period were discovered and excavated from 1928 to 1930 or 1928 to 1934 by a couple of amateur archaeologists from Lorraine, Marthe and Saint-Just Péquart.
At the time of occupation, between 5,500 and 5,300 BCE, the islet was connected to the mainland; during the Mesolithic, it was a rocky promontory as sea levels were 12 meters lower than today. The settlement was situated on a shell midden that yielded remains of numerous marine mollusks, crustaceans, squid, fish (such as wrasse), birds (including penguins, ducks, woodcocks, and eagles), cetaceans, and terrestrial mammals (boar, deer, aurochs, roe deer, dogs, etc.), as well as flint-knapping residues.
It was in these living areas and shell refuse zones that hunter-gatherers buried some of their dead. The shells contributed to the excellent preservation of the graves, as their carbonate isolated the bones from the acidic soil.
The Gazel Cave is located in the commune of Sallèles-Cabardès, in the Aude department at the heart of the Montagne Noire. This archaeological site is renowned for its historical and prehistoric significance, providing a fascinating glimpse into human occupation and cultural practices dating back several millennia.
The Escabasses Cave, also known as the Viper Cave, Trioulet Cave, or Bois Noir Cave, is a prehistoric decorated cave located in the Lot department, within the municipality of Thémines, at the site known as Carrière Ferrade.
The Combe-Capelle site is located approximately 3.4 km southeast of the village of Saint-Avit-Sénieur, on the right bank (north side) of the Couze River (a tributary of the Dordogne), and at the boundary between the municipalities of Saint-Avit-Sénieur and Montferrand-du-Périgord. It is bordered to the south by departmental road D 26, which follows the Couze Valley. The Combe-Capelle Man was long considered to have lived in the Paleolithic, around 30,000 years ago. However, in 2011, an analysis of collagen extracted from one of the skull’s teeth, preserved in Berlin, indicated an age of only 8,550 years before present, corresponding to a calibrated age of approximately 7,600 to 7,700 BCE, placing it in the Mesolithic period.
Peyrony, Denis (1943). “Combe-Capelle.” Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française. Vol. 40, No. 10-12, pp. 243-257.
Le Pinsaud
A unique megalithic site in the heart of the Massif Central and a witness to the first sedentary human occupations (Neolithic) in the area. While many Neolithic dolmens (tombs) and menhirs (various functions) are known in the region, none have undergone recent scientific exploration.
Learn more about visiting Le Pinsaud through Bussiere Galant.
La Borie del Rey
The study of ceramics—previously almost entirely unpublished—from Martinet and Borie du Roi reveals the existence of an early Neolithic period very close to Roucadour C, associated with the “Tardenoisian III” lithic industry. Recent elements (arrowheads with barbs and stems, and some ceramics) are found only at Martinet, as an intrusion, while at Borie du Roi only the ceramics of the Roucadour C type exist. The chronological position of this “Roucadourian” can be dated between the C14 date of Rouffignac, layer 2, and that of Roucadour, layer C, which corresponds to the second half of the 5th millennium BCE.
The Grotte de Limousis, located near the city of Carcassonne in southern France, has a rich history of human and animal occupation. Excavations have uncovered evidence that the cave was used as a human shelter during the Neolithic period.
Learn more about visiting the cave and read reviews from past visitors on Tripadvisor.
Grotte des Deux Ouvertures
The Deux-Ouvertures Cave is a decorated cave located in the commune of Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, in the Ardèche department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France. The cave was classified as a historical monument on August 10, 1990.
Commarque Cave is located in Sireuil, in the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil (Dordogne) in Périgord. The cave is situated beneath a fortified castle currently under restoration. The walls are covered with engravings from the Magdalenian period. The Neolithic period is characterized by the import of a significant amount of hazel trees.
The rock shelter site of Grande Rivoire is a prehistoric archaeological site located in the commune of Sassenage, on the slopes of the Vercors Massif, in the Isère department and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The Grotte de la Crouzade, or the Crouzade Cave, is a large cavity carved into a limestone cliff in the Massif de la Clape, near Gruissan in the Aude department. It has been classified as a historical monument since June 30, 1928, under the designation of “habitation cave and rock shelter of La Crouzade.”
The Bois-de-Riquet is a group of prehistoric sites located in the commune of Lézignan-la-Cèbe, in the Hérault department of France. To date, seven sites (locus 1 to 7) have been identified, covering all cultural periods from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic, spanning approximately 1.2 million years to around 3,000 BCE, with a concentration of lithic remains from the Early Middle Paleolithic period (from 350,000 to 150,000 years ago).
Located near the Mediterranean, the site has revealed two Neolithic occupations of Chasséen culture.
The Gavrinis Cairn is a megalith located on the island of Gavrinis in the commune of Larmor-Baden, in the Morbihan department of the Brittany region. The cairn features exceptional decorations and is considered the most lavishly adorned megalithic monument in all of Brittany, and one of the most spectacular in Europe. It has been classified as a historical monument by decree since July 19, 1901.
The Grand-Pressigny region is rich in high-quality Turonian flint, available in large slabs. This flint was exploited throughout prehistory, but particularly at the end of the Neolithic. Numerous archaeological sites can be found in the town and its surroundings. Grand-Pressigny has lent its name to the Pressignian industry, known for the production of large blades.
Around 2,700 BCE, two small farming communities succeeded one another on a beach at Lake Paladru, in Charavines. The complete excavation of the site allowed for a precise reconstruction of the five houses and the daily lives of these families, including hunting, fishing, livestock raising, gathering and farming, flint tool production, pottery making, weaving, and basketry.
Megalithic ensemble, including a tumulus from the Neolithic that has been the subject of several excavations; the artifacts are now on display at the Carnac Museum.
The archaeological deposits in the Grottes de Montmaurin caves span a long period, from the Mindel-Riss interglacial (around 400,000 years ago) to the Gallo-Roman era. Several of these caves have yielded human fossils, the most famous of which, from the Niche Cave, is the Montmaurin mandible—the oldest known human fossil in France until the discovery of the Tautavel Man.
Listen to a podcast episode of L’Entretian archaeologique, “Dans la grotte “coupe-gorge“ à Montmaurin (Haute-Garonne)” about the Montmaurin caves on radiofrance.fr.
Le Pinsaud
A unique megalithic site in the heart of the Massif Central and a witness to the first sedentary human occupations (Neolithic) in the area. While many Neolithic dolmens (tombs) and menhirs (various functions) are known in the region, none have undergone recent scientific exploration.
Learn more about visiting Le Pinsaud through Bussiere Galant.
Vallée des Merveilles
The Valley of Wonders is a valley in the Mercantour Massif in the Alps, where more than 40,500 prehistoric rock engravings have been discovered, dating from the late Neolithic and the early Bronze Age, alongside more recent engravings. It is located in the French commune of Tende.
The Artxuita Dolmen is a western Pyrenean dolmen located in Irouléguy, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of France. It was built approximately 600 meters southeast of the Arrondo Dolmen.
Learn more about visiting the site through Visit Bayonne.
Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure
Blocks of coloring material and pigments, parietal paintings dated to 28 ka, and human remains were found at the site. It was excavated by French archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan in the 1950s. Level C6 of the Trilobite Cave contains fragments of Neolithic pottery.
La Grotte de Foissac, or the Foissac Cave, is a limestone cave formation and Neolithic archaeological site overlooking the Lot Valley. Part of the cave collapsed around 5,000 years ago, preserving the underground cave network and archaeological objects.
Artifacts and findings include:
faunal remains, including those of reindeer, lions, and bears
The Abri Pataud site is one of the only prehistoric excavation sites in the region accessible to the public, presenting a history of its excavation and study by archaeologists. A museum has been installed near the site, showcasing what was found inside the rock shelter.
A photo of the Abri Pataud museum.
Ambrussum — Site et Musée Archéologiques (Ambrussum Museum)
The Ambrussum Museum is an on-site museum at the site of Ambrussum, which dates back to the end of the Neolithic period. Both the archaeological site and the museum are free to the public. The museum’s exhibition room summarizes the site’s history and displays Roman artifacts.
Ecomusée L’Oustal des Abeilles (L’Oustal des Abeilles Ecomuseum)
Located in Soumartre, L’Oustal des Abeilles focuses on local bees and flora and teaches visitors about the ecological role and importance of the bee.
A bee pollinating flowers.
Grand-Pressigny Musée de la Préhistoire (Grand-Pressigny Museum of Prehistory)
The Grand-Pressigny Museum highlights the social, technical, and economic aspects of prehistory, focusing on the late Neolithic and the exploitation of flint by our ancestors. The museum houses a large collection of prehistoric objects, including many Neolithic flints from Grand Pressigny.
Hôtel de ville—Musée Historique (Mulhouse History Museum)
The former city hall of Mulhouse, France, is now home to an archaeological and historical museum dedicated to the city’s history. The museum highlights local history and culture from prehistoric to modern times.
La Grotte & Musée du Mas-d’Azil (Cave and Museum of Mas-d’Azil)
Though the site is inaccessible due to conservation efforts, the Mas-d’Azil museum guides visitors through a facsimile of the cave, complete with a gallery decorated with the same artwork as the original cave. The museum focuses on the cave’s geology and formation, the first inhabitants of the cave, and the prehistory associated with the site through the Aurignacian, Magdalenian, and Azilian periods.
Le Regourdou Musée (Le Regordou Museum and Park)
The Regordou Neanderthal site is a major archaeological site in Dordogne. Its associated museum brings together various tools and bones found in the Regourdou deposits. Artifacts displayed here include a nearly complete Neanderthal skeleton, lithic industry, and abundant faunal remains.
Maison du Piage
The Maison du Piage museum space exhibits objects found during excavations of the archaeological site with the same name.
Musée Archéologique de Brumath (Brumath Museum of Archaeology)
The archaeological museum in Brumath displays findings from prehistory and those of Celtic and Roman origin made around and in the city.
Inside the Musée archéologique in Brumath.
Musée Archéologique de Dijon (Dijon Archaeological Museum)
The Musée Archéologique de Dijon is an archaeology museum that focuses on the regional archaeology of Burgundy and covers prehistory, protohistory, Roman rule, and the Middle Ages. Artifacts from the Paleolithic period include lithic cores and flakes.
Musée Archéologique de Strasbourg (Strasbourg Archeological Museum)
The archaeological museum in Strasbourg, France, is one of the largest regional museums in northwest France. It is the oldest museum in Strasbourg and displays findings from Prehistory to the Merovingian dynasty.
Musée d’Archéologie et de Paleontologie de Minerve (Minerva Museum of Archaeology and Paleontology)
The Museum of Archeology and Paleontology in Minerva invites visitors on a journey through time thanks to the more than 6,000 archaeological objects it houses. These objects and artifacts include Paleolithic flint tools, Neolithic pottery, ornamental objects from dolmens, and more.
Musée d’Art et d’Archéologie d’Aurillac (Aurillac Museum of Art and Archaeology)
The archaeological museum of Aurillac contains several collections of artifacts from prehistory to the medieval era, including bifaces, polished axes, flint, weapons, and furniture. The rest of the building houses paintings and sculptures from the 17th century to the present, showcasing contemporary and international artists. Expositions change from year to year.
Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie de Besançon (Besançon Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology)
The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in the city of Besançon is the oldest public museum in the country, having been established in 1694. It houses an Egyptian collection, a collection of Gallo-Roman mosaics and objects, and a prehistoric collection that includes objects from the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in the city of Besançon.Inside the Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in the city of Besançon.
Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie de Vienna (Vienne Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology)
The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in Vienne was established in 1895 and houses multiple dense collections. In the “Ancient Period” room, one can find objects from the Neolithic to the Roman period. Other rooms include the Middle Ages and Ceramics room, and a salon of paintings.
Musée du Pays Châtillonnais (Museum of Pays Châtillonnais)
The Museum of Pays Châtillonnais was opened by the Châtillon Archaeological and Historical Society in 1882 due to a growing interest in archaeology throughout France at the time. Numerous chance finds from local archaeological sites are housed here, including those from excavations at the prehistoric sites of Lassois Mount and the Cave of La Grand Baume.
The Museum of Pays Châtillonnais.
Oppidum d’Enserune (Archaeological Museum of Ensérune)
The Archaeological Museum of Ensérune is located on the site of an ancient hill town, the Oppidum d’Ensé. The town was occupied from the 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE, and the on-site museum displays a collection of some of the artifacts found at the Oppidum d’Ensé along with other artifacts.
Dolia, earthenware storage jars for grain and other agricultural products embedded in the ground at the Oppidum of Enserune, France.
Paléosite de Saint-Césaire (Paleosite of Saint-Césaire)
The Paleosite of Saint-Césaire is a hybrid park and museum space dedicated to our evolutionary cousin, the Neanderthal man. The space is located near the archaeological site of La Roche, where a Neanderthal individual was discovered in 1979.
Préhistosite de Brassempouy
The Préhistosite de Brassempouy is a museum and archaeological park complex. The museum houses the discoveries made at local archaeological sites, including tools, faunal remains, bone engravings, and ornamental objects. The archaeological park allows visitors to discover reconstructions of Cro-Magnon shelters and animals of the past, and familiarize themselves with flint-knapping techniques.
Ecology and Biodiversity of France
Past Ecology and Climate
Miocene Epoch (23.03–5.33 million years ago)
During the Miocene, continental drift continued toward the continents’ present locations, and mountain-building took place across Eurasia.[24] Climate during the Miocene was generally warmer and wetter than it is today, but the trend in climate change at the time was toward global cooling. Since lower temperatures reduce the atmosphere’s ability to hold moisture, aridity increased worldwide.[25] Europe, during the Miocene, was home to metatherians, relatives of marsupials, along with the last representatives of an extinct order of aquatic reptiles, the Choristodera. Land mammals during the Miocene were essentially modern, as many archaic mammalian groups had become extinct in the previous epoch, the Oligocene. Some exchange of animals occurred between Eurasia and North America, and the Miocene was of great importance to primate evolution, as fossil evidence indicates that advanced primates, including around 100 species of apes, were present across Eurasia.[26] A group of apes from the genus Dryopithecus were widespread over parts of Africa, southern Europe, and Asia during the epoch. While European apes disappeared due to losses in habitat diversity, the presence of apes outside of Europe continued into the Pliocene.
Pliocene Epoch (5.33–2.58 million years ago)
Continents during the Pliocene were only 70 kilometers away from their current locations. During this epoch, Africa collided with Europe, cutting off the former Tethys Ocean and forming the Mediterranean Sea. Global temperatures continued to cool and became cooler than in the Miocene, but the mid-epoch temperature was still 2 to 3 degrees Celsius higher than it is today.[27] Environments were cooler than before, but marine records indicate that there may have been a relatively warm period around 3–3.5 million years ago.[28] As the overall climate cooled, European alligators and crocodiles died out. Snake, rodent, and bird species, on the other hand, increased in number.[29] Advanced primates continued to evolve, and early human australopithecines appeared early in the epoch.[30]
The closing of the Isthmus of Panama, also called the Central American Seaway closure, is estimated to have occurred approximately 3 million years ago, toward the end of the Pliocene. The closing of the Isthmus had major effects on the global temperature. The warm equatorial ocean currents that flowed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans were cut off, which led directly to an Atlantic cooling cycle and a period of glaciation.[31]
Pleistocene Epoch (2.58–0.0117 million years ago)
The Pleistocene epoch, colloquially known as the Ice Age, is the most recent glaciation period. This period is marked by repeated glacial cycles and drastic fluctuations in global climate. Extensive ice sheets formed on landmasses, and sea levels were up to 120 meters lower than they are today during periods of peak glaciation. Many glaciers in the northern hemisphere were fused into one. Northern Europe, for example, was covered by the Fenno-Scandian ice sheet, and other glaciers carved out features seen in some of France’s national parks.[32]
The Pleistocene epoch ended around 11,650 years ago. Its end corresponds to the end of the glacial period and the Paleolithic period, also called the Old Stone Age.
Modern Ecology, Climate, and Ecosystems
France is the largest country in Western Europe and has the highest percentage of protected terrestrial and marine territories among European Union (EU) members. According to the Biodiversity Information System for Europe, 28 percent of terrestrial France and 37.6 percent of marine territories are designated as protected areas as of 2025. The country’s species assessments are also above the EU average, with 28.1 percent of species in France indicating a good conservation status.[33]
Continental or metropolitan France has generally mild summers and cool winters, though summers are hot and winters cool along the Mediterranean Sea. Its terrain consists mainly of flat plains, but it is bordered by hills in the north and the west regions. The rest of France is mountainous, with the Alps in the east and the Pyrenees in the south. The highest point is the peak of Mont Blanc within the Alps, situated 4,810 meters above sea level.[34][35]
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests include Atlantic mixed forests, Cantabrian mixed forests, Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests, and Western European broadleaf forests. Atlantic mixed forests include coastal dunes and vegetation that grows in salt-rich soils, such as maritime pine, or Pinus pinaster. Much of these forests have been converted for agricultural use. Cantabrian mixed forests lie between the Eurosiberan and Mediterranean biogeographic regions in Europe. This ecoregion is generally warm and periodically rainy, though it is much colder in the higher elevations. Many large carnivores live here, as well as wild horses, though much of the land is now used for cattle pastures. The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests are located in the Pyrenees mountain system, which houses many endemic species and has a high level of biodiversity. The forests grow amidst valleys, high slopes, and canyons. The Western European broadleaf forests span from the center of France into Germany. These forests are warm and moist and house large bird populations.[36]
Temperate coniferous forests include the Alps conifer and mixed forests. These forests preserve some of the original forest cover of central and southern Europe. The region has a generally cold climate and is influenced by mild and humid air currents from the Atlantic Ocean.[37]
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub include the following: Corsican montane broadleaf and mixed forests, Northeastern Spain and South France Mediterranean forests, Italian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests, and the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests. The Corsican montane broadleaf and mixed forests are situated in Corsica and are confined to the high-altitude forests of the island. This ecoregion boasts a 12 percent plant endemism rate and has an extremely varied gradient in climate and altitude. Northeastern Spain and South France Mediterranean forests encompass Southern France and feature dunes, cliffs, and areas of high biodiversity, such as salt lagoon systems. This ecoregion experiences very hot and dry summers and torrential autumn rainfalls. Much of it has been converted for agricultural purposes, but areas with an endemism rate of 10 to 20 percent still remain. The Italian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests border Italy and feature mixed vegetation adapted to a Mediterranean climate. Temperatures here vary alongside elevation, and more than 40 mammal species reside in the region. The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests have hot, dry summers and temperate, humid winters. This ecoregion supports significant faunal and plant diversity.[38]
Watch the documentary “Wild France—A Spectacular Journey,” a free nature documentary available in two parts. Watch parts one and two on YouTube.
Watch “The Wild Nature of France,” a documentary film on some of the animals in France and their habitats, on YouTube.
Watch the “Great Places of the World” documentary series on Amazon Prime Video. Episode two of the series, “The Vosges Mountains in France,” showcases local wildlife in the Vosges during summertime.
Watch the documentary series “Wild France: With Ray Mears” on the Wild Doc YouTube Channel.
In part one, Ray Mears visits the Vanoise National Park.
In part two, Ray Mears travels to Ardeche, a region characterized by miles of gorges and limestone cliffs.
In part three, Ray Mears visits the vast wetland of the Camargue, which includes salt pans, a river delta, lakes, and reed beds.
In part four, Ray Mears visits the Cevennes National Park.
In part five, Ray Mears visits Provence Hill in Southern France.
In part six, Ray Mears concludes the series by traveling to treacherous waters near the West Coast of Brittany.
National Parks in France
France boasts eight national parks within the European continent and eleven in total.
Parc national de Port-Cros (Port-Cros National Park)
The Port-Cros National Park encompasses several smaller islands along with Port-Cros, a Mediterranean island part of a four-island group called the “Stoechades Islands,” or the “Îles d’Hyères” in French. Created in 1963, the park is one of the oldest national parks in France and was the first European national park to protect both land and sea. Renowned for their natural and largely untouched beauty, the park’s islands offer sandy beaches, cliffs, forests, and other geological features. Popular activities include diving, hiking, and enjoying the local biodiversity. The park is home to many protected species, terrestrial and aquatic, and is a popular stopping point for migratory birds such as flamingos and passerines.
The Port-Cros National Park area has a rich history, remnants of which are still standing for visitors as heritage sites. Port-Cros Island has three monuments built around 1630 to protect the island from pirate attacks: Fort de l’Estissac, Port Man, and Eminence Tower.
Parc National des Calanques (Calanques National Park)
Calanques National Park is the 10th French national park, which was created and established by a decree of French Prime Minister François Fillon in 2012. It is the only national park in the Mediterranean to be simultaneously insular, continental, and marine. It is also the only urban national park in Europe. Located on the doorstep of Marseille, the second largest city in the country, the park has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Learn more about the park on the official park website.
Parc national des Calanques
Traveling to Calanques National Park
BBC Travel: Directions to the Calanques coves by car, shuttle, and boat.
Tripadvisor: Reviews and recommended local experiences.
GetYourGuide.com: Book an electric mountain bike visit to Calanques National Park.
Ot-Cassis.com: Book a boat ride and learn more about getting to Calanques National Park.
Marseille-tourisme.com: Additional information on Calanques National Park and how to get there.
Additional Media on Calanques National Park
View a photo gallery and additional information about the Calanques National Park on the geo.io website.
Watch a brief scenic video by the official park YouTube channel inviting individual and collective conservation of the Calanques National Park on YouTube. Also, find this video on the official website of the Parc National des Calanques.
Watch a brief video about the Les Calanques coves by France 24 English YouTube channel.
Watch “A Cruise Around the Calanques, France,” a video showcasing park views from a tourist boat ride on YouTube.
Parc National des Cévennes (Cévennes National Park)
Cévennes National Park spans across mountainous areas and into the plains of Languedoc, a classic French landscape. The mountainous region of the park encompasses the Cévennes mountain range and attracts many hikers thanks to its 1,800 km of walking and hiking trails. Cévennes is the only national park with villages within its borders; when traveling, one might see its 250 villages and 400 farms. Despite a high population compared to other parks in France, the park has an abundance of wildlife and natural formations, such as the Jonte and Tarn gorges, as well as three caves: the Aven Armand, Bramabiau, and Dargilan caves. The quality of the night sky is also notable here, and it was awarded the title of “International Dark Sky Reserve” by theDarkSky International. Learn more about the park on the official tourism page for the Cévennes.
For out-of-town visitors, high-speed rails run from Nîmes and Montpelier to destinations near and within the Cévennes National Park. Local destinations are also accessible by public transport or rental car.[40]
Watch a brief scenic video from the Cévennes National Park’s official YouTube channel.
Watch the fourth episode of “Wild France” with Ray Mears about Cévennes National Park on YouTube.
Parc National des Écrins (Écrins National Park)
Écrins National Park is France’s second largest national park and is located in the Dauphiné Alps of southeastern France. Spanning the middle region between the Southern and Northern Alps, the park’s features are best viewed by foot on the 700 km of walking and hiking trails. Glaciers have carved seven valleys here: Briançonnais, Vallouise, Embrunais, Champsaur, Valgaudemar, Valbonnais, and Oisans, and 150 mountain summits reach above 3 km.
Parc national des Ecrins
Traveling to Écrins National Park
Ultimate France: A travel guide and recommended accommodations for an active holiday at Écrins National Park.
France This Way: Book trips and accommodations and find additional information on Écrins National Park.
Pays des Ecrins: Discover Écrins National Park through mountain hike tours, such as the GR 54 Tour of the Oisans and Ecrins, find directions to the Vallouise Écrins National Park Center, and learn about events.
Tripadvisor: Reviews and recommended local experiences.
AllTrails: Find featured park trails of easy, moderate, and hard difficulty levels.
PeakVisor: Learn more about the 255 named mountains in Écrins National Park and its points of interest.
Additional Media on Écrins National Park
Listen to sounds, documentaries, and stories from the Alpine and Écrins National Park region on the webpage “Pierres qui roulent,” meaning “rolling stones” or “stones that roll.” The page was created by the Écrins National Park and initiated by the General Council of Hautes-Alpes.[41] Learn more about the mini-website and its creation on the official Écrins National Park website.
Watch a Google Earth flying tour through the peaks of Écrins National Park on YouTube.
Watch two hikers climb in Écrins National Park and share the park’s scenery on YouTube.
Parc National des Forêts (Forêts National Park)
Forêts National Park is in northeastern France and protects a forested area in the Paris Basin plateau. The park is dedicated entirely to the conservation of forests and their inhabitants and is the newest addition to France’s national parks.[42]
Alper: View an image gallery of the park and learn when and how to visit.
AllTrails: Find featured park trails of easy, moderate, and hard difficulty levels.
PeakVisor: Learn more about the geography, geology, and ecology of Forêts National Park, along with popular hotels and villages to visit.
La Bourgogne/Burgundy Tourism: Learn more about the Forêts National Park and the Bourgogne region, find a route, and plan your visit to the local nature outings and museum.
Parc National des Pyrénées (Pyrénées National Park)
The Pyrénées National Park stretches across six valleys in the Occitanie and Aquitaine regions and borders Spain along the Pyrénées mountains. The park protects many unique rock and limestone formations, including caves and U-shaped valleys, and offers visitors many activities, including skiing, hiking, and observing wildlife. More than 135 hiking and walking trails of varying difficulty run throughout the park, during which visitors can catch a glimpse of 70 mammal species and more than 124 plant species, 25 of which are endemic to the park’s mountains.[43] Learn more about the park on National Geographic.
Parc national des Pyrénées
Traveling to Pyrénées National Park
Explore France: What to do and what to see in the Pyrénées.
Tripadvisor: Reviews and recommended local experiences.
AllTrails: Browse the top trails in Pyrénées National Park.
Additional Media on Pyrénées National Park
View a photo gallery and additional information about the Pyrénées National Park on the geo.io website.
Watch the documentary “The Most Beautiful Trails: Pyrénées National Park” through the France Channel on Amazon.
Watch a 52-minute documentary, “100 Must See Places: Upper Pyrénées,” through the France Channel on Amazon.
Watch a scenic video of YouTube user aows “Hiking to Lacs d’Ayous, Pyrénées National Park” on YouTube.
Watch a 15-minute hiking documentary of the Cathar Trail on the One Good Road’s YouTube channel.
Parc National de la Vanoise (Vanoise National Park)
The Vanoise National Park, created in 1963, was the first national park in France. It encompasses more than 130,000 acres of alpine forest and borders the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy.[44] The park is known for its population of a species of goat called the steinbock, also known as the alpine ibex, and other fauna such as alpine marmots, wolves, lynxes, hares, and more than 100 bird species.
Parc National du Mercantour (Mercantour National Park)
Mercantour National Park is known for its alpine scenery and is home to diverse wildlife. More than 2,000 plant species exist in the park, along with many birds and mammals, including golden eagles and marmots.[45]
Tripadvisor: Reviews and recommended local experiences.
Additional Media on Mercantour National Park
Watch a brief video about hiking in Mercantour National Park, “France’s Mercantour National Park, a Hiker’s Paradise,” on the official France 24 English YouTube channel.
Below are examples of opportunities to volunteer with local French organizations as well as international volunteer hubs with programs in countries that include France.
France Bénévolat aims to promote active citizenship by volunteering for nonprofit organizations, acting as an intermediary between organizations and prospective volunteers, and to train members in volunteer recruitment and support. Become a volunteer in France by finding a mission on their website.
France Volontaires is a French platform of volunteering for international exchange and solidarity (VIES). An agency of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, it brings together authorities at varying levels for the purpose of developing and promoting volunteer opportunities around the world. View international opportunities and those in overseas French territories on their website.
The French administration offers information for volunteer missions in education, environment, humanitarian aid, and sport activities. Find out more and connect with a civic service representative through the official website.
Go Abroad is an online search engine for international travel programs, offering thousands of opportunities accompanied by reviews from past participants. Browse available opportunities in France through their website.
Go Overseas is a community reviews website with more than 15,000 opportunities and an aim “to educate, inspire, and empower our community to pursue perspective-changing travel.” Its program categories include those for volunteering, studying, teaching, obtaining internships, language immersion, tours, trips, and more. Browse the available opportunities for France through the France section of the website.
Projects Abroad hosts projects around the globe for high school students, college students, gap year volunteers, families, and short-term volunteers. For France, the program offers an opportunity for high school students aged 15 to 18 years to immerse themselves into French culture and conservation.
Volunteer World is one of the world’s leading volunteering platforms, offering more than 1,600 projects worldwide as of 2025. On the Volunteer World website, you can browse the available opportunities in France.
Prospective volunteers can find programs to volunteer for in exchange for accommodation at hostels, homestays, NGOs, and farms in France through the Worldpackers France section of their website. Sort available opportunities by environmental volunteering, community aid, and other categories.
Where Can I Enroll and Study French Prehistory and Ecology?
To study French prehistory and ecology, you can consider multiple options: Universities in France, international universities that offer related coursework, study abroad programs, and archaeological field schools.
Universities in France
National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France
The Department of art history and archaeology offers undergraduate and master’s programs that cover art history, humanities, and archaeology. Students can obtain a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Archaeology or a master’s degree in Archaeology and Archaeological Sciences. The university also houses the Research Center in Archaeology, Archaeosciences, and History (CReAAH) (LAHM). This interdisciplinary research unit focuses on six research topics: archaeology of the sea and coastline; architecture; technology, production, energy; societies, cultures, identities; societies, environments, and climates; archaeology of Western France.
PSL University, or the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, offers a master’s degree in art history and archaeology designed to train specialists in art history and archaeology by conducting research and playing an active role in the field.
University of Bordeaux
The Department of Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bordeaux conducts multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research on human populations of the past. The department aims to study and understand the past from our African origins until the very recent past. The ARCHAEO graduate programs provide an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research in the fields of archaeology, prehistory, biological anthropology, archaeometry, history, and more.
The Camille Jullian Center is a history and archaeology laboratory that conducts research along the Mediterranean and in North Africa. The center aims to garner better knowledge of societies in the Mediterranean basin from prehistory to the end of Antiquity.
DRASSM, or the “Direction des Recherches Archéologiques Subaquatiques et Sous-Marines,” ensures the protection, study, and development of underwater heritage and was the first research organization of its kind. It manages underwater heritage of more than 11 million square kilometers. Read more about the department’s conservation efforts from the French Ministry of Culture.
The EFR is a French research institute for history, archaeology, and the social sciences. Located in Rome, Italy, the institute organizes archaeological excavations throughout Italy, North Africa, and the Balkans. It also operates its own publishing house and produces periodical journals as well as work done by former members of the EFR.
INRAP, or the “Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives,” is an internationally recognized public French institution in the field of preventative archaeology. The Institute “conducts diagnostic operations and preventative archaeological excavations” to ensure the study of archaeological remains found during construction efforts in France and its overseas territories.
The National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, conducts research with the aim to improve mankind’s understanding of the history of life, humanity, and society.
The Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory, or the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), is part of the Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute. It is a joint research unit that employs more than 350 researchers, engineers, and staff and revolves around three research themes: biogeochemical cycles, climate cycle modeling, and tracing climate change.
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_Portail_d%27entr%C3%A9e_du_Mus%C3%A9e_du_Pays_Ch%C3%A2tillonnais_-_01.jpg)
_DSC_0931.jpg)
.JPG)
