Paintings in the caves of Lascaux

About Paintings in the caves of Lascaux

On **12 September 1940**, four teenagers exploring the woods near Montignac in the Dordogne, following their dog into a hole in the ground, descended into one of the most important archaeological discoveries in human history. The caves of Lascaux contain **over 600 paintings and nearly 1,500 engravings created approximately 17,000 years ago** — in the Upper Palaeolithic period, when anatomically modern humans lived alongside woolly mammoths and cave lions. The paintings depict horses, bulls, aurochs, deer, bison, and rhinoceroses with a **dynamism and technical sophistication** that left the experts who first examined them genuinely incredulous. The main cave contains the famous **Hall of the Bulls** — a composition of four black bulls, **the largest stretching five metres** — surrounded by horses, stags, and a bear drawn at a scale and compositional awareness that would not seem out of place in a Renaissance fresco. The artists used the natural contours of the cave walls to give their subjects three-dimensional form; some figures appear to gallop around corners. The ochres, yellows, blacks, and reds were produced from mineral pigments, **applied by blowing pigment through hollow bones** — suggesting artists with years of practice and a tradition of craft passed across generations. The original caves were opened to the public in 1948 but **closed in 1963** after carbon dioxide from visitors' breath began causing irreversible damage. The French government subsequently created **Lascaux IV — a full-scale facsimile opened in 2016** near Montignac — an extraordinary experience in its own right. The surrounding **Vézère Valley contains over 25 decorated prehistoric caves**, including Font-de-Gaume — one of the last original painted caves still open to the public — and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Best explored **April to October**.

Highlights

• ✦ 17,000-year-old Paleolithic cave paintings
• ✦ Over 600 paintings depicting animals and symbols
• ✦ Original cave closed in 1963; replica Lascaux IV open to visitors

Practical info

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the real Lascaux cave?

No — the original cave has been closed to the public since 1963 because visitor breath and heat were damaging the 17,000-year-old paintings. What you visit today is Lascaux IV, an extremely detailed full-scale facsimile built a short walk from the real cave entrance, using the same techniques and pigments as the originals.

How much does Lascaux IV cost and do you need to book ahead?

An adult ticket costs around €23, with reduced rates for children and students. Booking online in advance is recommended in July and August, when timed slots for the guided tour sell out, though outside peak summer walk-up tickets are usually fine.

How do you get to Lascaux without a car?

There is no train station in Montignac-Lascaux. The realistic route is a train to Périgueux or Brive-la-Gaillarde, then a taxi or pre-booked private transfer for the final 45 km, since public bus connections are sparse and not reliably timed with cave tours.

Is Lascaux IV worth visiting if it's not the real cave?

Most visitors come away impressed — the facsimile is built at 1:1 scale with the same rock textures and lighting conditions as the original, and the attached museum adds context on prehistoric art that the real cave visit never offered anyway. Go in expecting a superb museum experience rather than an 'authentic' cave visit.

How long does a Lascaux IV visit take?

Plan for about 2 hours: roughly 40 minutes for the guided facsimile tour, plus time in the International Centre for Cave Art's exhibitions and interactive displays, which many visitors find as worthwhile as the cave replica itself.

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