Everyone it seems wants to see the prehistoric paintings in the cave of Font de Gaume. And with good reason – these paintings are some of the finest examples of European Ice Age, and are arguably the best still open to the public in France. Not only is entry to the cave greatly restricted, there is also great demand. Getting tickets for Font de Gaume then is not as simple as walking up to a ticket office and buying them. After years of visiting the cave and following a recent discussion with the manager, here I outline exactly how you get your Font de Gaume tickets.
One of the painted bison for which the prehistoric cave of Font de Gaume is so well known.
Given my mission in putting together this website, providing accurate information about visiting archaeology sites, I use the time standing in queues chatting to others around me to learn of tips I can share with readers. While queueing for tickets for my most recent visit to Font de Gaume and Les Combarelles, I was quite surprised to hear very different accounts of what you have to do to get tickets for these two caves. Some people still think one person can stand in line to get tickets for each person in their group wishing to get into the cave. Others were told to be at the ticket office around 7 am to stand a chance of getting tickets when the ticket office opens at 8 am.
Despite being in an age where information is now literally at our fingertips, the internet is awash with misinformation. In relation to Font de Gaume, this is in part because the process has changed recently, so any commentary from 2014 is out of date. Also, people writing on popular travel review sites do not always set out the entire process, just their own experience. So, as will be clear below, what worked for them does not hold true for everyone, or account for every option.
Anyway, as I was first in the queue, I got the ticket choices I wanted and while waiting for my timed entry to Font de Gaume, I spoke at length to the manager of the ticket office for a full and detailed account of the various ways you can get yourself into Font de Gaume. Much of what applies to the cave of Font de Gaume, also applies to Les Combarelles; the only difference being the numbers of tickets available.
Can you buy tickets online for Font de Gaume or Les Combarelles?
No. It really is as simple as that. Give up searching. Now.
Can you buy tickets in advance for Font de Gaume and/or Les Combarelles?
Yes, by telephone or email.
Telephone: +33 (0)5 53 06 86 00 (Fax: +33 (0)5 53 35 26 18)
Email: fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr
For those who do not speak French, or battle with it: if you get an answering machine after 4 rings, it is telling you that all lines are busy, please be patient. The message starts something like this “toutes nos lignes sont occupées …” ending with the word patientez. Do hang on, particularly if you are calling first thing in the morning – they do answer.
Please note
The ticket office is open everyday except on Saturdays. It is also closed on the following national holidays: 1 January, 1 May, 1 and 11 November, 25 December
The opening hours are:
Between 15 May and 15 September 9.30 am – 5:30 pm
Between 16 September and 14 May 9:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2 pm – 5:30 pm
Advance tickets can be reserved by contacting the ticket office from January onwards for the current year; i.e. advance tickets for 2016 will go on sale from 1 January 2016.
For each day, there are 26 advance tickets for Font de Gaume but only 7 for Les Combarelles. You do have to know the exact date of your intended visit. Advance tickets go on sale in January, and obviously the more popular tourist periods (June to September) fill up quickly. As of June 2015, there were still advance tickets available for entry in November or December of 2015.
Having established there is availability for your required date, you will be required to pay for the tickets (by credit card) to secure your reservation. So I would phone up the office rather than send credit card details via email. The staff who work in the ticket office speak sufficient English to conduct the transaction (I am not sure about other languages – I think they also speak German but I should investigate this further). Then you pick up your tickets at the ticket office before your visit – bearing in mind you need to be at the cave about 30 minutes before your timed entry. Font de Gaume is about a 10 minute walk from the ticket office, Les Combarelles is about two kilometres further up the road.
Can you buy tickets at Font de Gaume or Les Combarelles on the day, at the caves?
Yes. The ticket office at Font de Gaume sells tickets for that day, and for that day only, for entry to both Les Combarelles and Font de Gaume. There is no ticket office at Les Combarelles. The ticket office is closed on Saturdays – therefore, there is no entry to Les Combarelles or Font de Gaume on Saturdays.
There are only 52 tickets for Font de Gaume and 35 for Les Combarelles that are made available on the day, each day. (Except Saturdays.)
The queue at the Font de Gaume ticket office around 8.30 am, 1 October 2015.
The time to get to the ticket office varies according to the tourist season. And depends on how badly you want to get into the cave on any given day. I usually conduct my cave art tours visiting Les Eyzies in May/June. At this time of the year I like to get to the ticket office around 6.30 am. Each time I have done this I have been the the second or third in the queue. This is much the same for September and October, and school holidays outside of the summer peak season. Most people then start arriving around 7 am, and then steadily thereafter. The last few weeks of July and August, the height of the tourist season, it is different – friends of mine have arrived at 6.30 am and are about 12th in the queue, but they still got the tickets they wanted.
Benches in front of the ticket office.
During the summer of 2015, a bench was installed in front of the ticket office. With each seat numbered (1 to 54). This helps greatly to know whether you stand a chance of getting a ticket or not. If you arrive and all the seat are taken, you are out of luck.
Note the following:
All people requiring a ticket need to be in the queue. This is important to note as it is a change introduced in 2015. One person can no longer stand in the queue for his/her family members. If you require 5 tickets, all five of you need to be in the queue when you purchase the tickets. When it is your turn to purchase the tickets, they want to see all of you – in person.
Good luck! Or, bon courage as they say in France.
Also on Sale at the Font de Gaume Ticket office
Each day 210 people are allowed entry to Abri du Cap Blanc. From 1 January to the end of June, and from 1 October to the end of December 105 tickets for Abri Cap Blanc can be purchased at Font de Gaume, while the other 105 tickets can be bought at the site (a few kilometres up the road – it is well signposted). NB, during July and August tickets for this decorated shelter are only available at the site itself. Tickets for Cap Blanc can not be reserved in advance. As they allow 210 people in per day, it is quite easy to get tickets – this is not a popular cave art attraction.
Follow the following links for more information about:
Hello Thomas !
Thank you very much for this useful information!
One question, please:
After the availability for your required date is confirmed, can I choose the entrance hour or they communicate me this hour?
I need this information in order to plan my trip.
Once again, thank you !
Adrian
Thank you Adrian 🙂
The ticket office will give you a time when they confirm that you have a reservation – so a date and time is confirmed.
Thank you very much Thomas !!!
Happy New Year Thomas !
I ask for your help once again.
Today (1st of January 2016) I sent an e-mail to fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr requesting a reservation of 2 tickets for 21st of July 2016, the first visit (circa 09:30).
Till now they didn’t reply.
I make a phone call at +33 (0)5 53 06 86 00. The machine answered in french. I didn’t understand it’s message.
What advise can you give me, please ?
Thank you for your kind reply.
Best regards,
Adrian
Hello Adrian – good to hear from you again. Happy new year to you also 🙂
Thank you for this question – this is good information to add for future readers, so I have updated the information above.
Today is a public holiday in France so the ticket office will not open. And the office is also closed on Saturdays, so it will not be open tomorrow. The next opening time is Sunday, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm and 2 pm – 5:30 pm French time.
You could phone again on Sunday, I am sure you will get to speak to someone then. Also, a lot of people will be sending emails for tickets, so you should get a reply to your email sometime next week. But I would phone.
Let me know how you get on – am happy to help
Kind regards
Thomas
Dear Thomas,
Your information is gold. I don’t know how to thank you …
I’ll do as you advise me. I’ll phone.
Also, I’ll tell you all it will happen.
Best regards,
Adrian
OK, if you are getting the answering machine after 4 rings, its actually telling you that all lines are busy, please be patient. They do answer. The message starts something like this ‘tous nos lignes sont occupe’ …ending with the word patientez. I never thought about it before, but if one does not understand French, probably a lot of people just hang up.
Dear Thomas,
As you instructed me, I called the ticket office on Sunday (3rd of January) in the morning.
I requested 2 tickets for 21st of July – first visit of the day. They suggested a reservation for 14:15. I said that I prefer early in the morning but they told me that this is the only time available. They asked me to send an e-mail at fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr confirming the reservation.
After 5 minutes I send this e-mail confirmation (hour: circa 11:30 French time)
Today (4th of January) at 14:00 hours French time I received by e-mail their confirmation and the payment request.
I paid by phone at 14:30 hours French time. The total price is 16,50 euros for 2 tickets (2 x 7,5 + 1,5 admin fee)
I’m very glad about this reservation and I thank you very, very much !!!
In this stage, again, I kindly ask your for advise:
– what do you recommend me to read about Font de Gaume on the web (in order to fully understand the historic and artistic features)
– being in the cave, what I have to do in order to enjoy the art as much as possible
I wish you a Happy New Year !
Best regards,
Adrian
Hi Adrian,
Thank you so much for letting me know how you got on. It is always good to know that my advice is helping. I am glad it worked for you!
I have always wondered how when I queue for tickets, it is only people who queued who get into the first few tours of the cave. From what you say, I think what they do is keep the afternoon tours for early reservations (like yours) and then keep the early tours for people who have been queueing in the morning.
I will answer your other questions in a few days.
🙂
Dear Thomas,
My husband and are planning a trip to the Caves in June of this year. We have tried several times to call over the last few days and have still only been greeted by an answering machine in French. Do you happen to know if they are still taking reservations for the caves over the phone or has that changed? Unfortunately our French is not good enough yet to understand the quick speaking narrator on the machine. All else fails we will plan on an early picnic breakfast at the entrance…..
Many thanks!
Deborah
Hi Deborah
As you can see from Adrian’s comments above, he has managed to get through and make a reservation for June. I hope this is not a stupid/insulting question, but are you sure you are calling when the office is open? I think you are from BC Canada … that does make for a very big time difference. Office times and dates are included above.
I can not believe that tickets are already sold out. I have just called the number to listen to the message, and all it says are when the office is open and the like.
Keep trying is all I can say for now. Good luck.
Thomas
Dear Thomas,
Your information is the best. It helped me a lot. I have just successfully reserved tickets yesterday by mail. We will drive there. Is there any safe parking lot near the ticket office.? Is there any locker or some places to safely drop our belongings such as cameras before getting into a cave?
Thanks
Chamaree S.
Hi Chamaree
Thank you, I am glad to learn you have found the information useful and got yourself some tickets! While waiting in the queue is worth it, it really is better to have a reserved ticket 🙂
There is a parking area right next to the ticket office – it is marked on the map here: https://archaeology-travel.com/france/font-de-gaume/
I have never heard of anything bad happening there, but perhaps it is safer to take valuables with you as there is a very secure lock up box at the entrance to the cave in which everyone is asked to put their day-packs, handbags etc., before going into the cave.
Enjoy your visit!
Thomas
Thomas, just called France from Ontario, Canada, and, as you noted, got a message that all lines were busy but was soon connected. I was able to book tickets for Font d Gaume and Les Combarelles quite easily even with my limited French. Thanks so much for this information. We will be visiting the south of France in September, 2017, and this will be a highlight of our trip.
Jacques Soucie
And thank you for your message. I am always delighted to hear from readers. Enjoy your trip – and I am sure Font de Gaume and Les Combarelles will not let you down!
Dear Thomas,
Thank you so much for the guidance. I did have to research how to call France from the USA (first dial 011) but the phone was answered on the 3rd ring (10 a.m. US time; 16h France) and we communicated with my French through the scheduling of the dates–May 29 and 30 were already booked, but we got two tickets for May 31 for both Font de Gaume and Les Combarelles. But then my French failed when she started on the next part. Fortunately her English speaking colleague came on and explained that now I needed to email them with my dates and number of persons and what they were dictating was the email address. So, I sent off an email (partly in French), got a email confirmation that day with a printable Confirmation de Reservation with instructions on how to pay. This was of course in French. I chose to fill out the confirmation with my payment information and returned it via email. This was all on Friday US but by then it was Saturday in France and the office was closed. I got an email Sunday thanking me for my payment and with instruction to pick up tickets at the ticket office at a particular time. I was pleased with how easy it was. It appears that reserving spaces puts us at 10h for a tour at Les Combarelles and 14h15 Font de Gaume, which is actually what their website says. i.e. no choice on the time for pre-booking. thanks again! Kathlyn
Thank you Kathlyn. I love receiving comments like this, so thank you for taking the time to let me know of your experience.
I hope you enjoy your time in the caves 🙂
Thomas
Dear Thomas
Thank you very much indeed for your great effort to make such a hugely helpful website. Clearly I’m not the only one to be highly appreciative of your generous attitude to the world in general & fans of parietal art in particular. You deserves all our thanks.
For benefit of other aspirant ticket-getters by phone, my experience today (13 March) for tickets in late May was repeatedly being switched (either immediately, or after 2-4 rings) to the recorded message of opening hours. At the end of the message, the line died: I was NOT put in a queue for the next available operator (as I thought Thomas’s comment above implied – but maybe that’s just me). So (as Thomas says) just keep dialling with coffee & credit card for company.
I fear it’s only a matter of time before F-d-G & other such sites are closed. As recently as 1966, when we went to Altamira we had to find the guardian in the village, who took our few pesetas & opened the cave just for the 2 of us unimportant young people, and we had as long as we wanted just wandering & gazing in amazement. How times have changed (it’s only half a century ago, after all).
Oh how things have changed! And as you say, in only 50 years. Thank you very much David for sharing your experiences. I need to listen to the message carefully again to see if the message has changed (it did put you on hold until the line was no longer busy). Whenever I have called this year I got through straight away, nice but not helpful for providing these notes 🙂
Hi Thomas,
We were too late trying to book tickets in advance for the 3rd week of September. Is it possible to hire 2 people to go early for my wife and me and then get the tickets from them when they purchase them at 9:30?
Regards,
Peter Welsh
Hi Peter,
I have never heard anyone mention this. In fact, you are the first person who has asked me about this. You could always ask at your hotel, perhaps they have heard of or know someone who would offer this service. I would be interested to know what they say, I can not believe you are the first person to have thought of this.
Good luck!
Thomas
Hi Thomas,
How many degrees cooler than ground temperature is it usually in the caves? For example, if it’s 80 degrees outside, how cool might it be underground?
Hi Simone,
Temperature in the cave is at a constant of around 13°C or 55.4°F throughout the year, and whatever the outside temperature.
Hi Thomas
A very practical question. To get the tickets that have been paid for and reserved, you still have to go to the ticket office. But do you still have to deal with the possibly long queue then (one of my visits is in the morning) ?
Hi Frank
No, there is no need to queue for reserved tickets. Arrive about 30 minutes before your allotted time and go straight into the ticket office, even if there is a queue. Once inside there will be another person at the ticket desk to give you your tickets.
Enjoy!