Grotte du Pech-Merle, Cabrerets

At Grotte du Pech-Merle, one of the few of Upper Paleolithic caves in France still open to the public, view children's footprints preserved in what was once clay, over 0.8 km (0.5 mi) underground. Amidst the stalagmites, stalactites, and other natural formations, view iconic cave paintings of spotted horses and woolly mammoths. Red handprints reach out to you from prehistoric times. Plexiglas protects the paintings and prints, but you can still come within inches of these remnants of the Gravettian culture, which was in existence around 25,000 BCE. English tours must be booked in advance, and slots fill up quickly. The drive to get here is long, on steep, one-lane country roads. Take a look at our Cabrerets trip itinerary planning tool to schedule your visit to Grotte du Pech-Merle and learn about what else to see and do during your holiday.