PEACH MERLE CAVE

The Lot department has its own Lascaux: the Grotte du Pech Merle in the Célé valley! But here, we visit the real cave, decorated with authentic paintings over 25,000 years old. What a thrill! Described by Abbé Breuil as "the Sistine Chapel of the Causses du Lot, one of the most beautiful monuments of Paleolithic pictorial art", with almost 800 recorded motifs, Pech Merle is a major site in European prehistory. Over 600 m of galleries and vast halls, you'll successively discover the black frieze (bison, mammoths, horses over 7 m in length), the Hall of Discs with its curious concretions and moving human footprints, the engraving of a bear's head, a mammoth in relief, then the Bear Gallery. Finally, you'll appreciate the famous fresco of the Punctuated Horses, surrounded by stenciled hands, which is very moving to observe. Two types of visit are possible, in addition to numerous other activities and events throughout the year. The Centre de Préhistoire is also a newly renovated museum, with two exhibition rooms on prehistory and Quercy art, and a documentary film on prehistoric art. Good news: the museum is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility. And a valuable tip to avoid frustration: book your visit to the cave via the website! To preserve the cave and its paintings, the number of visitors is limited, and the museum's success is undeniable.