🏔️ Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley
Paleolithic art and habitation sites in the Dordogne region, France, spanning 400,000 years
📌 Fast Facts
- Location: Dordogne region, southwest France
- Time span: 400,000 years of human occupation and art
- Major sites: Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume, Les Combarelles, Abri Pataud
- UNESCO inscription: 1979
The Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley are a cluster of archaeological locations in the Dordogne region of southwest France that document 400,000 years of human prehistory through cave paintings, portable art, and stratified habitation deposits. The valley was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. As of 2026, multiple caves remain open to visitors, including Font-de-Gaume with its authentic red handprints and multicolored animal depictions, while Lascaux IV ...