Pyrenees Rock Art

The day begins at the Parc de la Préhistoire. Primarily important for its facsimiles of the main decorated chamber of Niaux, it shows the figures as they would originally have looked. Here, we also find representations of parts of the cave that are not accessible to the public. Later, we visit the Grotte de Bédeilhac. Occupation here dates back at least 15,000 years, with a variety of cave art, drawings, engravings, and even clay moldings among the striking rock formations.

This morning, we take a drive out to the Grottes de Gargas, where we find cave art consisting of two different elements – both created in the Upper Palaeolithic period of approximately 25,000 BC. One is a collection of animal engravings and paintings, including fine depictions of horses, ibex and mammoths. The other is a dazzling group of some 200 hands stenciled in black, red, brown, ochre, and white. Next, we enjoy a visit to the rich Roman site of Lugdunum Convenarum, at the foot of St. Bertrand de Comminges. Here, we also visit the great church of St. Bertrand and the beautiful Basilique de St. Just.

The cave of La Vache awaits, where weapons and tools made from bone, flint and antler were found with an astonishing array of animals portrayed on them. Images included wolves, lions, fish, and – most unusually – humans. From here, we view the famous Niaux Cave itself – one of the greatest and most powerful collections of Ice Age drawings that can still be visited.

We visit the cave of Mas d’Azil, where the evidence of human occupation dates back 30,000 years, and the site’s fantastic museum. Our afternoon is spent at leisure in this fascinating area and a farewell dinner follows later.

After breakfast, our tour comes to an end and we make our independent onward journeys home.