One of the many reasons people travel to France is to see for themselves the spectacular Ice Age cave art. Although most caves are now closed to the public, a number are still accessible – albeit with heavily restricted access. And of course the extraordinary replicas of Lascaux, Chauvet and Cosquer are ‘works of art’ in their own right. Getting to see all of these attractions is something of a logistical challenge. With over two decades of leading tours to the decorated caves in France, I have created an itinerary taking in as many of the sites as possible – certainly all the must-see sites. Also I share many tips and recommendations for where to stay and accommodation, where to eat and restaurants, when and how to buy tickets, as well as how to extend my basic tour and what other sites to add to your itinerary.Â
- Thomas Dowson
- Last Checked and/or Updated 11 September 2025
- France, France Travel Tips, Self Guided Tours & Itineraries
Tour Highlights at a Glance
- A chance to visit four of France's celebrated cave reproductions: Lascaux II, Lascaux IV, Chauvet 2, Cosquer
- Take a guided tour in seven of the finest decorated Ice Age caves in France still open to the public
- Add more historic sites to your itinerary to suit your interests, from Roman monuments to medieval castles
- Visit some of France's most picturesque medieval towns and cities, including Carcassonne and Sarlat
- Enjoy all this on a 7-day itinerary, that you can adapt to your own interests and time constraints
In June 2025 it was 36 years since my first trip to France during which I visited around 30 cave art sites. Back then, I did not have to plan that trip. But since the late 1990s I have been organising and leading tours myself. To begin with field trips for my undergraduate and postgraduate students, and then later private guided tours for clients from around the world, including Australia, Canada, South Africa and the USA. Over the years, I have also created many hundreds of bespoke itineraries for people wishing to visit the caves in France on their own.
Most people I encounter do not have that much time on their hands. Not only do they want to see as many sites as they can in a limited period, when planning their trip they are often unable to gauge what is and what is not achievable. And for various understandable reasons some people simply find planning an itinerary a lot of hard work.
Although each and every itinerary I have created has been different, I do not think I am being too immodest in saying I have learned a thing or two in this area. Following many requests, I have decided to publish the basic outline of my ‘ideal’ 7-day itinerary. I show how it is possible to see the best cave art in France in a limited time, starting with the replica of Cosquer in Marseille, then to the Ardèche for Chauvet 2, heading over to the Pyrénées to see Niaux, and then up to the Lot for Pech Merle and Cougnac, before ending with a few days in the Vézère Valley for sites such as Rouffignac, Font de Gaume and Les Combarelles, as well as the Lascaux replicas.
Despite a tight schedule, this is a flexible itinerary. There are many opportunities to expand this itinerary to suit your circumstances, requirements and interests. For example, you might have more than seven days to spend, and you might want to see some of the amazing Roman sites in Provence and eastern Occitanie. In this case you would add more days to the start. If Cathar Castles are your thing, stay a few more nights in Carcassonne. And how long you stay in Les Eyzies will depend on how much you want to see there. It is not long been known as the World Capital of Prehistory for nothing.
This itinerary assumes a couple of things:
- Visiting cave art sites and replicas is the focus of your trip to France.
- You can hire a car, and drive from one point to the next (remember in France, they drive on the right hand side of the road). This would be a very different itinerary if you had to rely on public transport.
- This 7-day itinerary starts in Marseille and ends in Les Eyzies. In principle you can reverse this plan, but the details would need some scrutiny.
Expanding my itinerary for your trip
Use this itinerary as a basis for planning your trip alongside my Guide to Cave Art in France, and adding other sites and museums to suit your interests – see our Guide to Roman Sites & Museums in France, Fortresses, Castles & Palaces in France. A good place to start, however, is our France Travel Guide, where you will find guides to each region. To help with this process, we have created our own Itinerary Builder, to use this you will have to login or register an account.
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Map of 7-Day Cave Art Tour in France
| Day | Travel & Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Arrive Marseille | Marseille | |
| Day 1 | Cosquer Méditerranée - Travel to Vallon Pont d'Arc | Vallon Pont d'Arc |
| Day 2 | Chauvet 2 - Travel to Pyrénées | Tarascon-sur-Ariège |
| Day 3 | Niaux & Prehistory Park | Tarascon-sur-Ariège |
| Day 4 | Travel to to Cabrerets • Pech Merle | Cabrerets |
| Day 5 | Cougnac • Travel to Les Eyzies • Sarlat | Les Eyzies |
| Day 6 | Font de Gaume • Les Combarelles • Abri Cap Blanc | Les Eyzies |
| Day 7 | Rouffignac • Lascaux | Les Eyzies |
| Depart Les Eyzies |
Entry Tickets You Can Buy Online in Advance
Arrive Marseille
This itinerary starts in Marseille for two reasons. The first and most obvious reason is because the city is home to the latest replica of an Ice Age cave, Cosquer. Marseille is also a very accessible city. The international airport is well connected to many other European and north African cities.
For those flying from further afield, an ideal option is to fly in to and out of Paris. From Paris you can either fly to Marseille or get the TGV (just over 3 hours). Hire a car at the airport and follow this itinerary back to Paris.
Overnight in Marseille
As the third largest city in France, there are many hotels to choose from. Personally, I prefer to stay in the Vieux Port area, more specifically along the southern quay. When driving from the airport, this part of the city is easily accessible, via the Prado-Carénage Tunnel, as is exiting the city. I have stayed in the Radisson Blu Hotel and the Ibis Budget Hotel, and can recommend both. The Radisson is a 30 minute walk to Cosquer Méditerranée. The Marseille History Museum, built on the remains of the ancient port, established by the Greeks and developed by the Romans. The Old Port area has many good restaurants and bistros, and a subway stop.Â
Day One - Marseille to Vallon Pont D'arc
Start the day with Cosquer M̩diterran̩e , the replica of Cosquer Cave Рthe entrance of which is now underwater. You are required to purchase a timed entry ticket. The attraction opens at 9h00 in July and August, 9h30 the rest of the year, and the full experience usually takes about two hours.
From Marseille head to the town of Vallon Pont d’Arc, where the Chauvet 2 replica is located. The journey should take little more than two hours taking toll roads, or three hours avoid roads with tolls. So depending on what time you leave Marseille, there is time to do a bit of sightseeing along the way.
What to see along the way?
Travelling up the Rhône Valley, there is a lot to see, without having to take too much of a detour. There is the spectacular Roman theatre in Orange, or the Abbey of Montmajour just outside of Arles. The towns of Arles (for Roman archaeology as well as fans of Van Gogh) and Avignon are well worth a visit, but these would require more than a few hours. You could add an extra night to your itinerary by adding a stop at either of these towns. Nîmes is another town well known for its Roman heritage. But this would be a detour. So if you want to add Nîmes to your itinerary, I would it after Chauvet, on your way to the Pyrénées. For more ideas for things to see along the way, consult the guides to Provence, Occitanie, and the Rhône Valley. The route follows the river, which is the border between Occitanie on the west and Provence on the east. Chauvet is in the Rhône Valley region.
Accommodation Suggestions for Vallon Pont d'Arc
The Vallon Pont d’Arc area has long been a popular tourist destination, and so the choice of accommodation in the area is good. My favourite place to stay is the Prehistoric Lodge. Above the banks of the Ardèche River you can either have a lodge/tent or a more hotel-style double room. It is a wonderful place to relax, and they serve very good meals. Just the spot for an early start the next day.
If the Prehistoric Lodge does not suit you, an alternative place to overnight is Pont-Saint-Esprit Рa charming town with many wonderful Medieval buildings including a 14th century bridge over the Rh̫ne River. There are a number of very pleasant places to stay at (I have stayed at La Bourse, and can recommend it), with some great restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes. A drive to Chauvet 2 should not take more than 45 from Pont-Saint-Esprit.
Alternative Start: Paris to Vallon Pont D'arc
Getting out of the French capital, I suggest getting a TGV from the Gare de Lyon in Paris to Valence (Valence TGV Rhône-Alpes Sud). Here you can hire a car. The journey should take just over two hours. The train station is situated a few kilometres outside of the town, with easy access to the motorways. So no need to negotiate getting out of a busy city after getting off the train.
As Chauvet is a few kilometres from Vallon Pont d’Arc, this is where I recommend you stay overnight. The drive from Valence TGV station to the Vallon Pont d’Arc area should not take you around an hour and a half.
Day Two - Chauvet 2 & Vallon Pont D'arc to the Pyrénées
If you only plan on staying one night in Vallon Pont d’Arc, you will want to have early tickets for Chauvet 2 and be on the road to the Pyrénées by lunchtime. Of course you could stay two nights here: visit the replica, take your time in the interpretative centre, take a canoe ride along the river, or explore a few of the villages.
You are strongly advised to buy your timed tickets for Chauvet 2 in advance. My advice is to get your timed entry for as early as you can, and visit the interpretative centre after visiting the replica. The guided tour of the replica is about 45 minutes and, allowing for time to get around the attraction, a further hour at least for the interpretative centre.
Going on to the Pyrénées, I recommend staying in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, which is just under five hours from Chauvet 2. This is mostly motorway driving, for which you will pay toll fees. But it does make a long journey bearable. If you have more than seven days for your trip, you could break this journey between Chauvet and the Pyrénées. If seeing some Roman sites interests you, top of my list would be a night or two in Nîmes (under two hours from Vallon Pont d’Arc).Â
Accommodation Suggestion for Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège is an ideal town from which to visit the cave of Niaux, and the Prehistory Park (below I suggest an alternative option, staying in Carcassonne).
There are a few hotels in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, but the one I recommend that is not too pricey is the Le Manoir d’Agnès. It is in a great location, at only 10 minutes from both Niaux and the Parc de la Préhistoire de Tarascon-sur-Ariège. The meals at Le Manoir are very good, but the restaurant is not open everyday, particularly if there are only a few guests staying in the hotel. The centre of town is a 10-minute walk away, and there ae some charming bistro style restaurants offering very good meals.Â
Alternative Option: Stay in Carcassonne
Staying in Tarascon-sur-Ari̬ge is not essential for visiting Niaux. Another option, and one I use more frequently, is to stay in Carcassonne and drive to Tarascon-sur-Ari̬ge for the day Рabout an hour and a half between the two. Despite the fact that this is not the most accurate reconstruction possible, Carcassonne in the evening is a pleasure. And truly, I never tire of visiting.
Staying in Carcassonne (around 4 hours from Chauvet 2) gives you the advantage of having more time to explore the wonderful walled medieval city, but the drive to and from Tarascon-sur-Ariège only allows you enough time to take the guided tour of Niaux and spend an hour or two in the museum at the park. But I would recommend going to Tarascon via Mirepoix and stopping for a coffee in the beautiful medieval town centre.Â
There are really so many wonderful places to stay at in Carcassonne, and I have tried a good number over the years, even one of the five star hotels within the walls of the medieval city itself, Hotel de la Cité & Spa is a must! At the other end is a very good budget option, within walking distance of La Cite, Hotel Espace Cite. If you are going to be in Carcassonne for a few days and prefer a self-catering apartment, you are in luck. There are two options I recommend, both within walking distance of the Medieval city and with great views of the walls. These are Gîtes Les 3 Tours, Gîtes Les 3 Tours 2 and Gîte les 3 tours 1e étage. All three are run by the same owner, a charming and welcoming host. At first I was worried it would be noisy here – no need! And to have breakfast on the terrace looking at the restored Roman and Medieval walls was heavenly. After a long day in the Pyrénées it was wonderful to sit by the pool sipping an ice cold beer before heading into town for a meal.
My favourite restaurant, and many of my clients agree, is the Jardin d’été at 115 Rue Barbacane just below the walls at the north west part. If the garden is closed, the warm cosy restaurant is an excellent substitute.
Alternative Option: Skip the Pyrénées
The main reason for going to the Pyrénées is to see the cave of Niaux. Not only is the cave art amongst the most spectacular in France, the experience of going deep into the cave is one of the best you will have. If time is short and/or you would rather spend more time in Les Eyzies, you could always head straight to Cabrerets from Chauvet. This is a scenic drive through the Parc national des Cévennes, which will take about 5 hours.
When I do a Marseille round-trip, that is, starting and ending in Marseille, we start with Cosquer and Chauvet, then to Cabrerets and on to Les Eyzies, from there to the Pyrénées, and back to Marseille.
Day Three - Cave Art in the Ariège
After a long drive on Day Two, relax by visiting sites in and around Tarascon-sur-Ariège. As with many areas of France, you are spoilt for choice, from the Stone Age to the medieval period.
Tickets for the guided tour of Niaux can be booked in advance online. If you require the English tour you are quite restricted to one tour per day. For example, currently in April there is only one tour at 11h00, for May, June and September there is also only one tour but at 13h30, during July and August there are two English tours each day at 09h45 and 12h15, and there is one tour in October in English at 14h15. But check, as these may be subject to change.
So your day in and around Tarascon-sur-Ariège will be largely dictated by when you are travelling and at what time you can get on a guided tour. I strongly recommend visiting the Parc de la Préhistoire. The park has some great reconstructions of hunter-gatherer life, but it is the museum that is a must.
Other caves to consider, time of the year permitting, are Bedeilhac, Mas-d’Azil and La Vache.
Day Four - the Pyrénées to Cabrerets
Drive to Cabrerets in the Lot Department – the best base from which to visit Pech Merle, that wonderful cave with spotted horses. As this at most a three hour drive, you could stop for a few hours in Carcassonne. Stay for lunch and try some cassoulet, a local dish. Mirepoix is another beautiful medieval village to stop in.
Accommodation Suggestion for Cabrerets
Cabrerets is a couple of kilometres from Pech Merle. So ideally situated for an early morning start at the cave. As it is a small town there are only a few hotels. My hotel of choice here is Hôtel Restaurant des Grottes du Pech Merle. I have stayed a number of times, and I even once swore never again. But it has recently (2018) had a new lease of life with new management. And I do not have any reservations in recommending it now. They have an excellent menu for evening meals, serve a great breakfast, all on a terrace over looking the Célé River.
Day Five - Cave Art in the Lot
Pech Merle is only a few kilometres from the hotel in Cabrerets. Book your ticket in advance for an early guided tour. Do not worry if you can only get a French tour, as you will be given an English handout, which is in many respects better than the commentary. The guided tour lasts the usual 45 minutes.
From here head to Cougnac, which is only open in the afternoon at certain times of the year. The drive between Pech Merle and Cougnac is about an hour. Either have lunch in the beautiful town of Gourdon, or take a picnic to a small lake on the road between Gourdon and Cougnac (10 minutes at the most).
There are two caves at Cougnac, the first is noted for its geological interest – there is not art in this cave. The second has an extraordinary panel of animals. The experience visiting these two caves is one of the best, if not the best in France.
From Cougnac head to our hotel in Les Eyzies, which should not take you more than about 40 minutes.
Accommodation Suggestion for Les Eyzies
There are only one or two hotels in the area I have not stayed in. And I very definitely have my favourites. Unless you choose accommodation beyond the town’s limits, all hotels are within walking distance of the main points of interest, including Font de Gaume (I would not advise walking to Les Combarelles.) The four star Hôtel Les Glycines is at one end of the town, while the three star but charming Le Moulin De La Beune is at the other end of town. In the thick of it, so to speak, is the very stylish La Maison – which has an excellent restaurant. If you are looking for self catering accommodation, and prefer to be outside the town, I fell in love with Les Gites Accromagnon. A small self catering cottage that is 5 kilometres from the centre of town.
Day Six ~ a Base in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac
Les Eyzies, the town that styles itself as the world capital of prehistory. You can spend a few days here, or you can spend a week. And there would still be a lot to return for.
Everything you need to know can be found here: Les Eyzies: A Guide to the World Capital of Prehistory.
One of the frequently asked questions from people planning a trip to or including Les Eyzies is how long do we need. If ever ‘how long is a piece of string’ was an appropriate response, this one is it. I know people who have spent only a day in Les Eyzies (one couple went to Font de Gaume, the museum and the Cro Magnon museum), and one couple I assisted spent 14 days here. There was lots of rest and relaxation, canoeing on the river and a number of day trips out of the area. But they saw a lot. Most of the trips to Les Eyzies I have provided have been five days; one of which is a day-trip to Cougnac and Pech Merle. In response to the question then, I would say two or three is an ideal minimum.Â
In this itinerary, I have included two full days, three nights in Les Eyzies. And I recommend visiting Font de Gaume, Les Combarelles and Abri Cap Blanc on one day, and Rouffignac and Lascaux on the other. Where you have time for more, top of my list is the National Prehistory Museum in Les Eyzies.
More to See While in Les Eyzies
There is so much more to Les Eyzies and the surrounding area than cave art sites. There are many important prehistoric archaeology sites of interest in and around the town, a few Roman sites that are further afield, and of course numerous medieval points of interest. Les Eyzies and the Vézère Valley is also popular for its recreational activities, such as canoeing down the Vézère River, walking and hiking, and exploring the gastronomy of the region.Â
Sarlat
One of the most beautiful Medieval towns in France. Not surprisingly, frequently used in films.
Vesunna
The Roman Domus (townhouse) in Périgueux. And while you are in town, visit the Périgord Museum of Art and Archaeology.
Castles of the Hundred Years War
On either side of the Dordogne River (the border between the French and the English at times during the 100 Year’s War) are some magnificent castles – two that are a must are Château de Beynac and Château de Castelnaud.
Troglodytes of the Vézère Valley
Stone Age hunters and gatherers were not the only people in the area to make living in cave an art form. During the Medieval period many communities used open rock shelters to build their settlements. Three good ones to visit are: La Roque St. Christophe, La Madeleine and Maison Forte de Reignac. All of which are on the road between Montignac and Les Eyzies.
Depart Les Eyzies-de-Tayac
Time to leave? Heading back to Paris? You can either drive east to Brive-la-Gaillarde or Souillac for a train to Paris. Both towns are on the same line, and both similar distances from Les Eyzies – 1 hour 10 minutes and 50 minutes respectively. Choosing between the two would be based on returning your car rental.
Or, head west to Bordeaux. This is a much longer drive – two hours – but you can get a much faster train to Paris, or a plane to Paris or elsewhere in Europe. There is also an international airport to fly out of. Or you might just want to visit Bordeaux – in which case do not miss the Musée d’Aquitaine, which has some excellent prehistory exhibits. On your way to Bordeaux, consider stopping at the Montcaret Roman Villa.
Or drive to Paris – the journey is about 7 hours non-stop. But there are many towns and cities, with many sites and attractions to stop for a night or two. Popular options include:
- A stop to visit the Oradour-sur-Glane memorial
- A night or two in Saumur – there are a number of castles in the area, but Fontevraud Abbey is a must.
- A stop in Chartres to see the spectacular Gothic cathedral.
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Questions & Comments
If you have an questions about this itinerary, I would be more than happy to answer them in our Community Forum. There, I have started a discussion for this topic, add your question in a reply: Itinerary for Visiting Cave Art Sites in France. Past contributions are available for all to view. Only members who are logged in can post new reviews, questions and answers.
Small Group Cave Art Tour Vézère Valley
Les Eyzies, and the historic Hotel Cromagnon, is the base for exploring some of the jewels in the crown of Dordogne’s past. The focus of this 4-day guided tour is the Ice Age cave art, for which the region is well known worldwide. Besides visiting some of the finest decorated caves in the area, including the replica of Lascaux, also on the itinerary is an extraordinary Roman townhouse, a medieval Troglodyte settlement and an imposing castle associated with the 100 Year’s War between France and England. The small group guided tour is strictly limited to seven participants, with dates in May and September 2026, and May 2027.
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