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Dordogne Palaeolithic Art Tour: Museum and Caves
Explore Dordogne’s prehistoric art: visit the National Prehistory Museum, Lascaux IV cave, and Rouffignac cave with expert guides.
Explore Dordogne’s prehistoric art: visit the National Prehistory Museum, Lascaux IV cave, and Rouffignac cave with expert guides.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Grotte de Rouffignac - Discover Rouffignac Cave that possesses original and authentic etchings and drawings
- Musee National de Prehistoire - In 2018, the museum was listed on Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Places To Visit.
- Lascaux IV - Experience Lascaux IV, a complete new replica retracing the discovery of the famous decorated cave.
- Grotte de Rouffignac - Discover Rouffignac Cave that possesses original and authentic etchings and drawings
- Musee National de Prehistoire - In 2018, the museum was listed on Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Places To Visit.
- Lascaux IV - Experience Lascaux IV, a complete new replica retracing the discovery of the famous decorated cave.
What's Included
- Entrance fees to Prehistory Museum, Lascaux IV and Rouffignac Cave
- Professional guide
- English speaking qualified driver guide
- Live commentary on board
- Entrance fees to Prehistory Museum, Lascaux IV and Rouffignac Cave
- Professional guide
- English speaking qualified driver guide
- Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Pick up and drop off at the hotel
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Pick up and drop off at the hotel
Additional Information
Join a small group on a scheduled tour to explore the most important sites associated with the Paleolithic art of the Dordogne. The tour includes a visit to the National Prehistory Museum, which boasts the world’s largest collection of Paleolithic artifacts. Next, experience Lascaux IV cave, an exact replica of Lascaux, where you can admire the…
Join a small group on a scheduled tour to explore the most important sites associated with the Paleolithic art of the Dordogne. The tour includes a visit to the National Prehistory Museum, which boasts the world’s largest collection of Paleolithic artifacts. Next, experience Lascaux IV cave, an exact replica of Lascaux, where you can admire the paintings found in the original cave. Finally, marvel at the original engravings and drawings in Rouffignac cave, known as the cave of 100 mammoths, where this animal is the most depicted among all visitable Paleolithic caves.
Important information: This tour will substitute Rouffignac Cave (closed after 21/09/2025) with a visit to La Roque Saint-Christophe, ensuring a comprehensive and enriching prehistoric experience.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Children under 4 years old are not allowed on the tour
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- It is cold in the caves (13°C / 56°F), warm clothing is strongly recommended
- Electric train visit in Rouffignac, comments made in French during time of travel. Guide will introduce cave beforehand and will make commentaries at the bottom of the cave in English
- Please note that the infant seats are available upon request, please inform us at the moment of the booking (number and age of the children)
- Pets are not allowed on the tour
- English tours of the Caves of Lascaux IV are very limited in number, most of the visits are in French. Your guide will explain the cave before and after the tour as simultaneous translation in the cave is strictly forbidden
- Important information: This tour replaces Rouffignac Cave (closed after 21/09/2025) with a visit to La Roque Saint-Christophe, ensuring a complete and enriching prehistoric experience.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(101 Ratings)
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Chattcats
Jul 1, 2025
A must see for cave art lovers and anyone interested in the history of mankind. - There were five people in our group, and Benoit was an excellent guide. There were even times when someone wanted to stop and visit a site that was not necessarily on our itinerary. Always keeping in mind the time schedule, Benoit accommodated several of these stops. Benoit knows a lot about the history of the area as well as all of the many sites that one could visit given enough time in Dordogne. He is very knowledgeable about prehistory in this area and was able to answer the many questions we threw at him. Benoit has a good sense of humor and also understands how much information you can take in in one short day. This was one of the highlights of our trip so far.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eileen
Jun 15, 2025
Excellent tour and tour guide - Anne is a terrific tour guide - knowledgeable, charming, with a good sense of humor. We highly recommend Anne and this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David
Jun 13, 2025
A once in a lifetime trip to an amazing place. - Excellent guide, Ann, was informative, considerate and amusing. Everything went smoothly. The sequence of visits starting with the museum of prehistory followed by the Rouffinac cave and then lunch was well thought out. It led into our final visit to Lascaux perfectly. The opportunity to see these incredible paintings is a fantastic privilege and this tour ensured we had the best experience possible.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beholley
Jun 10, 2025
Highly recommended - Amazing day. Benoit was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic . There is a profound sense of the spirit of humanity when you view the paintings and artifacts.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angelina_g
Jun 9, 2025
A perfect day - The tour with Benoit visiting Prehistorical sites and some little villages in the Vezere valley was amazing.
Review provided by Viator
172allal
Jun 9, 2025
Cave art and charming views of the region - Outstanding! Our guide was knowledgeable and gave excellent commentary along the way. We stopped at several charming villages, which was a bonus. The caves. Wow!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Extrabag
Apr 25, 2025
Excellent Prehistoric Dordogne Day Tour from Sarlat with Ophorus - Our day began just before 9 AM at the standard meeting spot that Ophorus uses for its Sarlat-based tours, just south of the historic center. Our family of four was joined by two American women. The guide Benoit used a headset while driving us in a comfortable Mercedes van so everyone could hear his English-language commentary clearly, even those of us sitting in the back.
The tour, known on the Ophorus website as Journey into Prehistory: Museum, Lascaux IV & Rouffignac Cave, included four stops:
1. National Prehistory Museum in Les Eyzies
2. Rouffignac Cave featuring mammoth drawings
3. Lunch break in Les Eyzies
4. Lascaux IV, the recreation of the original cave paintings
We were dropped off back at Sarlat by 6 PM.
As first-time prehistoric cave visitors, this tour completely revised our preconceptions. We learned that during the Ice Age, people lived in tent-like structures on permafrost ground in a Dordogne that had few trees. They didn't live in the caves where we see their art. In fact, they may well have done most of their painting outdoors, but the cave paintings happen to be the ones that have survived over the millennia.
Benoit's low-key style and clear explanations revealed both the certainties and mysteries of prehistoric life. One example: at the museum, he gave context to a 15,000-year-old burial of a woman at Saint-Germain-la-Rivière that contained 70 pierced deer teeth - each from a different deer and from distant regions, indicating her social importance. These details gave new meaning to what would otherwise be simply ancient artifacts.
Note that at Rouffignac and Lascaux IV, site-specific guides take over. Our Rouffignac tour was conducted in French, with English language material provided on tablets, which might be useful to know beforehand.
The tour covers much ground but is well-paced - we never felt rushed or overwhelmed despite the full day. Our children (ages thirteen and eleven) remained entertained throughout. The tour provides both the visual experience of the caves and the context needed to understand their significance.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hermione
Apr 9, 2025
Very nice visit to the cave of Lascaux IV I strongly recommend it for what loves prehistory - It was exciting
Guides explain well but sometimes take a little time.
The group for children is very good, it helps them to remember the history of the cave
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S777bnsandrinep
Jul 29, 2025
Lack DE visibility on prices for children with disabilities - We wanted to visit Lascaux IV during our stay EN Dordogne. On the site, an adult fee with a disability is indicated (€16 instead DE €23), but nothing for disabled children. After a difficult call with the customer service, we are told a handicapped child rate of 11 € (instead DE 15 €), a very small reduction. Cannot book this rate EN online. 11 €: is it a random rate? This lack DE clarity and accessibility seems unacceptable to us. For us, it is a form DE concealed theft.
DE therefore, we preferred to visit other caves just as pretty and interesting. Attention for the parents concerned.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
378hectora
Jul 4, 2025
Deep disappointment; Disney would have done much better, and you know it's fantasy. This is neither fantasy nor reality. - I had high expectations. I knew it was a replica. It has an incomprehensible entrance, inside it's a Disney system to get in; then inside there are good replicas, I think, and that half hour ends in a shopping mall. I'm more than sure Disney would have made it much more atmospheric and exciting. I've visited other real ones elsewhere, and there's ZERO excitement. Knowing that they were not there, nor did they paint that, seeing something that YouTube or books show was a deep disappointment. I recommend checking which cave you go to, since there are real ones.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
