France Cave Paintings - Cougnac Cave, Le Portel Cave and Pech Merle Cave

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Chauvet Cave

The cave paintings and rock art of Chauvet

The Chauvet Cave is located near the Vallon-Pont-d'Arc in the Ardèche region of southern France. The Cave Paintings of Chauvet date to 30,000 to 32,000 years ago. In the Chauvet Cave hundreds of animal paintings have been found making Chauvet Cave one of the world's most important rock art sites.

iLecture Documentary Film
Niaux Cave

High up in the cliffs of the Pyrenees, above the medieval town of Niaux, lies the entrance to a Palaeolithic world, the secrets of which are slowly emerging. Less well known than other European caves such as Chauvet and Lascaux, an exploration of Niaux is an explanation of our artistic and spiritual identity. Learn how the lessons of other paleolithic galleries have made Niaux a model of rock art preservation.


	To watch the full film click here
	To watch the full film click here

France Cave Paintings

Cougnac Cave

In the Cougnac Cave (Lot, France), a big megaloceros deer with its huge antler was represented by taking advantage of the natural relief of a wall. On top of it was painted a smail ibex, also in red, and to the right a black human figure with darts in his backside (an enlargement of this image can be seen below right). (Below left) Still in Cougnac, two black megalocerous deer follow each other, the male is in front of the female. The red outline of a mammoth had been drawn under the characteristic hum of the male.

Le Portel Cave

A beautiful horse (right) from the Portel Cave in the Ariege Pyrenees of France. Magdaleneian, i.e. about 13,000 years old.

One of the rare scenes in the Magdalenian(below), in one of the deepest passages in the Portal Cave, an disgruntled old male bison to the left, is seen leaving a female on thr right with her calf.