Les Eyzies. Complete guide to Les Eyzies de Tayac, Vezere Valley and the Dordogne

Sites of the Vezere Valley

February 3, 2010 By admin

The Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic and 25 decorated caves. It is particularly interesting from an ethnological and anthropological, as well as an aesthetic point of view because of its cave paintings, especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality.

sites of the Vezere Valley

Locations

Communes of Les Eyzies de Tayac, Tursac, Montignac-sur-Vézère, Saint-Leon-sur-Vézère, Marquay, Manaurie-Rouffignac and Saint-Cirq-du Bugue, Department of the Dordogne, Region of Aquitaine
N45 3 27 E1 10 12

Serial ID Number	Name & Location ↓	Coordinates	Date Inscribed
85-001	Abri de Cro-Magnon Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 25.6 E1 00 34.6	1979
85-002	Abri du Poisson Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 38.8 E0 59 54.2	1979
85-012	Cro de Granville (cro de Rouffignac) Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin-de-Reilhac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N45 00 31.7 E0 59 15.5	1979
85-003	Font de Gaume Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 13.2 E1 01 35.6	1979
85-015	La Madeleine Tursac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 58 01.3 E1 02 11.1	1979
85-004	La Micoque Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 27.6 E1 00 23.5	1979
85-005	La Mouthe Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 55 28.9 E1 01 14.1	1979
85-011	Lascaux Montignac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N45 03 13.3 E1 10 12.0	1979
85-006	Laugerie basse Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 03.8 E0 59 57.5	1979
85-007	Laugerie haute Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 11.8 E1 00 12.3	1979
85-010	Le Cap Blanc Marquay, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 44.3 E1 05 50.6	1979
85-008	Le Grand Roc Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 58.2 E0 59 54.0	1979
85-014	Le Moustier Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 59 39.6 E1 03 35.5	1979
85-009	Les Combarelles Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 36.8 E1 02 31.6	1979
85-013	Roc de Saint-Cirq Saint-Cirq, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 55 33.9 E0 58 02.9	1979

Theory

The Vézère Valley is on a limestone plateau in Southwestern France. It is home to several hidden calcareous caves. This is Lascaux Cave, the most well known. These drawings here date back to the Paleolithic period around 17,000 years ago. The cave was closed in 1972 for preservation work.

Subsequently decorated grottoes of the Vézère Valley including this Lascaux cave have been inscribed on the list of World Heritage. In this drawing, the front foot of the horse was drawn over the bulky rock surface to give a solid impression. The technique is used to express a galloping horse. This drawing of cattle has many layers. The front red figure is a cow, and behind her is black ox with large horns.

Why did man start to draw? Dr. Michel Lorblanchet has proposed a new theory through practical archaeology that takes account of the painting materials and artistic techniques of the time. He put charcoal in his mouth and sprays it onto the wall, exactly as people during the Paleolithic period used to do. By blowing onto the rocks, they believed that it would breathe life into something inside it. People in those days believed that some kind of supernatural power existed inside the rocks. They tried to capture this great power by projecting images of wild animals onto them. Signs of human imagination have been found here. This unicorn is drawn on the closest wall from the entrance of the Lascaux cave.

People stopped painting in these caves about 10000 years ago. Once they had mastered the skills of stock farming, they started to regard themselves as superior to other animals and with that change the Great Spirit in the caves was gradually forgotten.

Locations

Serial ID Number	Name & Location ↓	Coordinates	Date Inscribed
85-001	Abri de Cro-Magnon Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 25.6 E1 00 34.6	1979
85-002	Abri du Poisson Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 38.8 E0 59 54.2	1979
85-012	Cro de Granville (cro de Rouffignac) Rouffignac-Saint-Cernin-de-Reilhac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N45 00 31.7 E0 59 15.5	1979
85-003	Font de Gaume Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 13.2 E1 01 35.6	1979
85-015	La Madeleine Tursac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 58 01.3 E1 02 11.1	1979
85-004	La Micoque Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 27.6 E1 00 23.5	1979
85-005	La Mouthe Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 55 28.9 E1 01 14.1	1979
85-011	Lascaux Montignac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N45 03 13.3 E1 10 12.0	1979
85-006	Laugerie basse Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 03.8 E0 59 57.5	1979
85-007	Laugerie haute Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 57 11.8 E1 00 12.3	1979
85-010	Le Cap Blanc Marquay, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 44.3 E1 05 50.6	1979
85-008	Le Grand Roc Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 58.2 E0 59 54.0	1979
85-014	Le Moustier Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 59 39.6 E1 03 35.5	1979
85-009	Les Combarelles Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 56 36.8 E1 02 31.6	1979
85-013	Roc de Saint-Cirq Saint-Cirq, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France	N44 55 33.9 E0 58 02.9	1979

Theory

Filed Under: Dordogne Tourist Attractions Tagged With: 1940, animal figures, aquitaine france, basse, cave paintings, caves, communes, dordogne region, la madeleine, lascaux cave, laugerie, montignac dordogne, palaeolithic, point of view, prehistoric art, quality locations, rich colours, saint cirq, saint leon, serial id

Lascaux

December 22, 2009 By admin

Lascaux is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the Dordogne département. They contain some of the most well-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 16,000 years old. They primarily consist of realistic images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. Lascaux was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1979.

The cave was discovered on 12 September 1940 by four teenagers, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agnel, and Simon Coencas, as well as Ravidat’s dog, Robot. Public access was made easier after World War II. By 1955, the carbon dioxide produced by 1,200 visitors per day had visibly damaged the paintings. The cave was closed to the public in 1963 in order to preserve the art. After the cave was closed, the paintings were restored to their original state, and are now monitored on a daily basis. Rooms in the cave include The Great Hall of the Bulls, the Lateral Passage, the Shaft of the Dead Man, the Chamber of Engravings, the Painted Gallery, and the Chamber of Felines.

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Lascaux II, a replica of two of the cave halls – the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery – was opened in 1983, 200 meters from the original. Reproductions of other Lascaux artwork can be seen at the Centre of Prehistoric Art at Le Thot, France.

The cave contains nearly 2,000 figures. Many are too faint to discern, while others have deteriorated. Over 900 can be identified as animals, and 605 of these have been precisely identified. There are also many geometric figures. Of the animals, horses predominate, with 364 images. There are 90 paintings of stags. Also represented are cattle and bison, each representing 4-5% of the images. A smattering of other images include seven felines, a bird, a bear, a rhinoceros, and a human. Among the most famous images are four huge, black bulls or aurochs in the Hall of the Bulls. There are no images of reindeer, even though that was the principal source of food for the artists.

The four black bulls are the dominant figures among the 36 animals represented in the Hall of the Bulls. One of the bulls is 17 feet long — the largest animal discovered so far in cave art. The bulls appear to be in motion. The most famous section of this cave is the great hall of the bulls, where there are bulls, horses, and stags.

A painting referred to as “The Crossed Bison” and found in the chamber called the Nave is often held as an example of the skill of the Paleolithic cave painters. The crossed hind legs show the ability to use perspective in a manner that wasn’t seen again until the 15th century.

Of the non-figurative images, one researcher has speculated that the painted dots are maps of the night sky, since the patterns correlate with various constellations.

Filed Under: Dordogne Caves and Shelters, Dordogne Tourist Attractions Tagged With: agnel, cave paintings, daily basis, felines, fossil evidence, geometric figures, hall of the bulls, jacques marsal, lascaux ii, lateral passage, montignac, prehistoric art, realistic images, southwestern france, unesco world heritage, unesco world heritage sites, upper paleolithic art, visitors per day, world heritage sites, world war ii

Horse Riding Trips

December 18, 2009 By admin

Horse riding trips les eyzies

One of the best ways to see Les Eyzies de Tayac and the Vezere Valley is without doubt on horse back.
Leave your car behind, and get onto some real horse power, leave the hussle of the tourists behind and get off the roads and onto the tracks.

1000’s of years ago, there was a very high abundance of wild horses in this region, this can be seen in so many cave paintings found in the region. “Man” has always had a good friendship with horses, and that is still the case today.
For hundreds, if not thousands of years, our ancestors would travel to far away places to trade goods, for hundreds of years, and many generations, would follow the same tracks and trails to get to these often remote places. Along the way they would rest at places that have now become villages, hamlets and even towns. These tracks and trails quickly disappeared with the invention of the train and later the automobile.. lost and forgotten forever..
Well almost, we take you on a trip of a lifetime following these long forgotten trails.. Get on a horse and let us retrace the routes our ancestors took hundreds of years ago.

Ferme de Fonluc is without doubt the place to be, for everyone interested in seeing the Dordogne and Vezere Valley on horse back. Situated in Les Eyzies de Tayac, in the hart of the Vezere Valley, and just 150m from the Vezere river and the famous clifs of Les Eyzies that is home to many prehistoric dwellings and the famous “Grand Roc”

Ferme de Fonluc have a range of unforgettable horse trips and over night tours, suitable for all ages.

For more information please visit their website : www.fonluc.com

Filed Under: Dordogne Outdoor Activities Tagged With: abundance, ancestors, automobile, cave paintings, clifs, dordogne, doubt, dwellings, fonluc, friendship, horse power, horse riding dordogne, horse trips, hundreds of years, hussle, invention, many generations, tourists, train, trip of a lifetime, website www, wild horses, www.fonluc.com

Lascaux Gallery

December 18, 2009 By admin

Lascaux Gallery

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Filed Under: gallery Tagged With: cave paintings, lascaux, prehistoric art

Font de Gaume

December 17, 2009 By admin

Located in Les Eyzies, on the Sarlat road, Font de Gaume Cave is a showpiece of Magdalenian engravings and paintings from around 14 000 BC. The flints (chisels, scrapers, blades) and other things found in the cave during the excavations testify to a continual occupation since the Mousterian age, or the age of the Neanderthals.

Discovered in 1901 by D. Peyrony, the Cave, 130 m long, contains about 250 paintings. The visitor can only see 30 of them, the most beautiful ones and the best preserved. After 60 m underground, the “Rubicon” is the beginning of the decorated part of the cave, with red dots on the left wall. These caves were not used as dwellings, they were shrines, according to A. Leroi-Gourhan The Grotte de Font-de-Gaume is famous for its cave paintings from the Magdalénien period. It is entrance is 20 m above the valley floor of the Beune valley, at the lower edege of a huge limestone rock.

There are many polychrome paintings and some engravings. The 240 figures show 80 bisons, which are the dominant motive. Most other pictures are also animals, 40 mammoths, 23 horses, 17 reindeers and deer, eight primitive cow, four goats, a wolf, a bear, and two rhinoceroses. More interesting, but less frequent, are four hand outlines and 19 geometric figures.

The cave was first settled by Stone Age people during the last Ice Age – about 25,000 BC – when the Dordogne was the domain of roaming bison, reindeer and mammoths. The cave mouth is no more than a fissure concealed by rocks and trees above a small lush valley, while inside, it’s a narrow twisting passage of irregular height in which you quickly lose your bearings in the dark. The first painting you see is a frieze of bison, at about eye level: reddish-brown in colour, massive, full of movement, and very far from the primitive representations you might expect. Further on a horse stands with one hoof slightly raised, resting. But the most miraculous of all is a frieze of five bison discovered in 1966 during cleaning operations. The colour, remarkably sharp and vivid, is preserved by a protective layer of calcite. Shading under the belly and down the thighs is used to give three-dimensionality with a sophistication that seems utterly modern. Another panel consists of superimposed drawings, a fairly common phenomenon in cave painting, sometimes the result of work by successive generations, but here an obviously deliberate technique. A reindeer in the foreground shares legs with a large bison behind to indicate perspective.

Location: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. 1km from the centre of Eyzies on the left side of the Beune valley.

Open:

MAR Thu-Tue 9:30-12 + 14-17:30,
APR-SEP Thu-Tue 9-12 + 14-18,
OCT Thu-Tue 9:30-12 + 14-17:30,
NOV-FEB Thu-Tue 10-12 + 14-17.
Closed 01-JAN, 01-NOV, 11-NOV, 25-DEC.

Dimension: Length = 400m. Guided tours : every 40min. Only 200 visitors per day, reservation necessary! Address : Grotte de Font-de-Gaume, BP 7, 24620 Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Tel: +33-553068600, Fax: +33-553352618

Reccommended Accommodation

B&B Ferme de Tayac, a lovely 12th century former farmhouse and monastery in the heart of the Vezere Valley and just 2 min. from Font de Gaume. www.fermedetayac.com