We've seen a fair amount of rock/cave paintings in our travels over the years but nothing compares to those at Lascaux. These prehistoric cave paintings are incredibly well preserved and retain their clarity and vibrancy because the cave they are in was naturally sealed for tens of thousands of years, protecting them from the air and light. The cave was found in 1940 by four teenage boys who were searching for their dog.
The paintings were created between 20,000 and 10,000 BC by hunter-gatherer Cro-Magnon people. Now that's OLD!! There are around 6000 figures and they have been painted using only red, yellow and black pigments. Horses, stags, cattle and bison make up the majority however there are a few birds, a rhino and a human. Not only is the brightness of the colour amazing, they are also big..... one of the bulls is 5.2m long.

The original cave quickly became a tourist hot spot. It was closed to the public in 1963 due to the damage that was being done and the growth of algae (efforts continue today to control this and protect the original art). In 1983 a replica of the Great Hall within the cave was opened and named Lascaux II.

Today you visit Lascaux IV an exact replica of the entire original cave thanks to modern technology. The cave wall surface and contours are the same as are the colours, scale, and positioning of the paintings.

If you have ever seen other cave paintings then the sheer scale and quality of these will amaze you!
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Images coming