Lascaux

Opened in 2016, Lascaux IV transformed the already world renowned site into a leading international centre of Palaeolithic cave art. Housed in a stunningly modern building with a gigantic glass frontage, it contains not only the cave replica but an entire exhibition space dedicated to the art and history of Lascaux.

Some of the oldest cave art on the planet…..

The entirely new and complete cave reproduction has been built with the same aesthetic intentions of Lascaux II, namely to recreate the form and the paintings exactly as they are in the original. The entire cave and 100 percent of its paintings have been reproduced. Dubbed the ‘Sistine Chapel of Prehistory’, it’s fair to say that no other cave paintings can compete with those of Lascaux’s in terms of colour, size, quality and quantity.

In order to achieve this perfect carbon copy, a team of 50 expert artists used digital photography and laser imaging to reproduce the paintings stroke-for-stroke. The temperature, air pressure and dampness are also identical to the original cave itself with an ambient temperature of 13 degrees. In small groups of 30, you are taken through (with English digital/audio guides available) as your guide highlights the most significant works and provides detailed information on how they were created. Be sure to book ahead to ensure you reserve a place on the English language speaking tours that are offered. It’s a mind blowing experience because, apart from the fact that these drawings are estimated to be 20 000 years old, they are remarkable in their lifelike detail, which depict animals and even hunting scenes rich in colour and relief.

When the original Lascaux cave was closed to the public in 1963, an ambitious project to recreate it resulted in Lascaux II, which opened in 1983 and reproduced about 80 percent of the cave’s art.  Despite not being a complete reproduction of the original cave, it still contains hundreds of colour paintings and remains a fantastic experience. Like Lascaux IV small groups are taken through the cave at scheduled times.
Smaller in size than Lascaux IV, it makes for a more intimate visit. Intelligently lit, it is cool and dark like the original and you get to see the paintings in light similar to the fire-light that the prehistoric artists used thousands of years ago. An encyclopedic record of the Dordogne Valleys prehistoric wildlife, over 900 animals including horses, bison and deer feature in the cave. Many of the major artworks were painted onto the walls using mineral pigments or incised into the stone.