Les Eyzies-De-Tayac-Sireuil: Cave Art and Prehistory

Landscape and orientation

Les Eyzies-De-Tayac-Sireuil is shaped by green landscapes, dramatic rocky cliffs and the Vézère, which flows through the valley. Its prehistoric history is evident in different forms: as paintings and engravings in caves, as a collection at the Musée national de Préhistoire and as the subject of a signposted walking trail. This lets you choose between visits inside caves, museum collections and a route lasting several hours. Gare des Eyzies station is 700 metres from the town centre and provides direct access to the Vézère Valley and the region’s prehistoric heart. If you are planning to travel by train, check the timetables separately.

Visiting Font-de-Gaume

The Grotte de Font-de-Gaume is one of the last decorated caves in France that is open to the public. Around 230 images adorn its walls; the paintings and engravings date from around 14,000 years before our era. The cave is about 250 metres long in total, but only the main galleries are open to visitors. To protect the monument, visits inside are limited to 30 minutes. Check access and visiting conditions before your trip, as conservation rules may change.

Combarelles: Access and depictions

Public access to the Grotte des Combarelles is clearly restricted: Combarelles I is open for visits; the other sections are not open to the public. The cave’s 242-metre-long gallery contains engraved animal depictions, schematic human figures and geometric signs. The Grotte des Combarelles is classified as a Monument historique and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979. The cave’s depictions are therefore accompanied by an explicitly designated protected and World Heritage status, while access for visits remains restricted.

The Musée national de Préhistoire

The Musée national de Préhistoire houses collections that trace more than 400,000 years of human presence. More than 12,500 objects are displayed across an area of just under 1,500 square metres. The collections’ chronological scope offers a different way to explore prehistory than a limited stay inside a cave: here, the museum’s holdings take centre stage. The number of objects and exhibition area also give a concrete idea of the scale of the collection on display.

Micoque: Archaeological site and walking route

The name Micoque refers to two different things. The Gisement de La Micoque is described as the oldest currently known prehistoric site in the Périgord. The Boucle de la Micoque No. 15, by contrast, tells the story of around 350,000 years of human settlement in the Vézère Valley. It is a signposted walk starting from Les Eyzies, 13 kilometres long, taking around four hours and rated moderate. Check the latest route information before setting out, as route details may change.

Types of visits and planning your time

For planning your time, a cave visit and the walk are easy to distinguish: time inside Font-de-Gaume is limited to 30 minutes, while the Boucle de la Micoque takes around four hours. The first is a conservation limit; the second is an approximate route duration, so they are different measures of time. When planning your trip, decide whether cave art, museum collections or the walk will be your main focus. If you are looking for a hotel in Les Eyzies-De-Tayac-Sireuil, this focus can be a starting point for your choice. Check access conditions, timetables and route information to suit your plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mensignac, Saint-Romain-de-Monpazier, Saint-Pancrace, Sainte-Foy-De-Longas, Saint-Avit-Rivière, Agonac, Saint-Martin-Des-Combes, Borrèze.

Back to the main travel overview: Dordogne.