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Grotte de Font de Gaume cave paintings, Vezere Valley, Dordogne

The Grotte de Font de Gaume is found just 1 km from Les Eyzies, in the valley of the river Beune. The system was rediscovered in September 1901.

The entrance to the grotte sits at the bottom of a large limestone cliff. The grotte itself , and contains numerous colourful paintings dating from the Magdalenien period.

Of more than 200 paintings in total at the Grotte de Font de Gaume (there are also some engravings), the majority are of bison. . Mammoths, horses and reindeer are also represented, along with various other animals. The cave was settled about 25,000 years ago, during the Ice Age, when animals such as mammoths and reindeer were common in the area.

The painters have skillfully used the shape of the rock, and shadings of paint colour, to add vitality and a three-dimensional look to their paintings. Unfortunately only a small part of the total can be viewed by the public.

But this simple description is to undersell the experience of a visit to these caves - the paintings really are extraordinary in their perfection and colour, and a visit is highly recommended. You really do feel a bond with the artists who decorated these caves so long ago, with only the dimmest light and a handful of painting materials to work with.

Interestingly, large quantities of painting pigments and materials have also been discovered, suggesting that the painting was approached in quite a professional manner.

Only 200 visitors per day are granted access to the caves, to help protect them.

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