From the Holiday park to the prehistory: tourism in Perigord - Quercy

A dozen exceptional prehistoric sites are accessible from the Domaine de Gavaudun.

The must :

The Pech-Merle Cave in the Lot (Quercy), near Cahors, is one of the richest and oldest caves in the region (about 25,000 years). It is located in the Lot Valley, near the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie . You will discover drawings and engravings of impressive quality. This is a fairly large cave, with a long staircase down (not suitable for people with mobility problems).

On the other side, the Lascaux Cave in the Dordogne (Black Perigord), near Les Eyzies and Sarlat, is younger (17,000 years). The technique of the artists has evolved in 8000 years. Lascaux is world famous for its polychrome rock paintings. Being a small cave, the original had to be closed to the public because the breathing of visitors altered the paintings. You can only visit the copy, Lascaux II, near Montignac in the Vezere Valley, but this visit is absolutely essential, as for the cave of Pech-Merle.
 

Other remarkable prehistoric sites :

The National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac : probably the most important museum of prehistory in France, hinged on the discovery of Cro-Magnon, but covering a broad period from 35,000 to 10,000 years before our era.

The Font-de-Gaume Cave near Les Eyzies : polychrome cave like Lascaux. You can visit the original cave but the number of visitors is strictly limited (80 visitors per day) and it is therefore difficult to get access.

The Cougnac Caves near Gourdon (Quercy - Lot) : combines beautiful stalactites and beautiful rock paintings.

To deepen your knowledge, here are some references :

Website of the Association Préhistoire du Sud-Ouest : provides a wealth of useful information and links on both the Perigord and the Quercy than the rest of Europe.

All about prehistory with Hominides.com : comprehensive site on prehistoric chronology, its lifestyle, its art.

Do not hesitate to consult the tourist offices in the region (and of course also the Domaine de Gavaudun).