• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
chevron-down search panel ressource caret-down close info share patrimoineprocheorient 3d arrow-right check checkbox chevron-right zoom-out arrow-left hd interactif map map-alt pen pdf photo photo print sound triangle typo-moins typo-plus video medias youtube instagram facebook pinterest twitter zoom-in download dots info POI filter
Discover the collection
Logo of the Ministry of Culture
Logo of the National Archaeology Museum
Font-de-Gaume
  • fr
La grotte de Font-de-Gaume
  • Home
    • Discover the Font-de-Gaume cave
      • The Bison Cave
      • The various bison of Font-de-Gaume
    • Tectiforms
    • Polychrome and mixed media
    • Scenes and compositions
      • A veritable bestiary
      • Pair of reindeer
      • Horses
      • Mammoths
      • Black cows
      • Wolf
      • The subtle bear
      • Feline
      • Red rhinoceros
      • The elusive drawings
    • Understanding the Font-de-Gaume cave
    • Geology
      • Visits to the cave
      • At the dawn of the Upper Palaeolithic
      • In the Upper Palaeolithic... and beyond
      • Modern use of the cave
      • Discovery and discoverers
        • Font-de-Gaume - a painted cave under observation
        • Surveys and monograph
        • Recent conservation and research policies
        • Government management
      • Archaeological discoveries
      • Objects
        • Archaeological work and collections
        • Archaeology at Font-de-Gaume
        • Gathering archaeological information
      • Techniques and organisation of the paintings
        • Formal conventions
        • Example of animal representation styles
        • Technical conventions
        • Example of animal representation techniques
      • Layout of the paintings
      • Lighting methods and implications
      • Explanatory theories
      • The debate on cave art
      • Theories and researchers
      • The relationship between portable art and cave art
    • The Font-de-Gaume cave in context
      • The Magdalenian period
      • Paleoclimatic setting
      • Fauna and flora
      • Magdalenian geography
    • General chronology of humanity
      • The personalities of Font-de-Gaume
      • Father Breuil
      • Denis Peyrony
      • Louis Capitan
      • François Prat
      • Denis Vialou
      • Norbert Aujoulat
    • Annexes
    • Media library
    • Sources
    • Site map
    • Glossary
      • Resources
      • Graphic resources
      • Multimedia resources
      • Teaching resources
      • Documentary resources
    • About
    • Credits
    • Centre des monuments nationaux
    • Great Archaeological Sites
    • Legal notice
    • Practical information
    • Visiting the Font-de-Gaume cave
  • en
  • fr

La grotte de Font-de-Gaume

Located in Le Eyzies-de-Tayac, the Font-de-Gaume cave is the last Palaeolithic sanctuary with polychrome paintings still open to the public. More than 200 figures of bison, mammoths, reindeer and other ungulates, mostly dating from the Magdalenian period (around 15,000 BC), adorn its walls, arranged in compositions or scenes. The discovery of the cave in September 1901 by Louis Capitan, Henri Breuil and Denis Peyrony led to the definitive recognition of cave art, establishing Font-de-Gaume as a founding site of modern prehistoric science.

  • archeologie.culture.fr

Font-de-Gaume cave

Visit the cave

Timeline

Discover the Font-de-Gaume cave

  1. Frise de bison

    The Bison Cave

  2. tectiforme rouge de près

    Tectiforms

  3. Rennes affrontés

    Polychrome and mixed media

  4. frise des bisons de près

    Scenes and compositions

  5. bison cornes rouges

    A veritable bestiary

Understanding the Font-de-Gaume cave

  1. Vue de la falaise de Font-de-Gaume

    Geology

  2. Figuration anthropomorphe Font-de-Gaume

    Visits to the cave

  3. entrée font-de-gaume

    Archaeological discoveries

  4. Auroch noi de Font-de-Gaume

    Techniques and organisation of the paintings

  5. Tableau représentant les artistes du Magdalénien à Font-de-Gaume

    Explanatory theories

The Font-de-Gaume cave in context

  1. site préhistorique de la Madeleine

    The Magdalenian period

  2. entrée de la grotte et public

    General chronology of humanity

  3. abbé Breuil

    The personalities of Font-de-Gaume

Media & Resources

  • tête du bison aux cornes rouges

    Bison polychrome aux cornes rouges

    Bison aux cornes rouges

    © Olivier Huard / Centre des monuments nationaux

Open Media Library

Discover the Font-de-Gaume cave

  • The Bison Cave
  • Tectiforms
  • Polychrome and mixed media
  • Scenes and compositions
  • A veritable bestiary

Understanding the Font-de-Gaume cave

  • Geology
  • Visits to the cave
  • Archaeological discoveries
  • Techniques and organisation of the paintings
  • Explanatory theories

The Font-de-Gaume cave in context

  • The Magdalenian period
  • General chronology of humanity
  • The personalities of Font-de-Gaume

Annexes

  • Media library
  • Sources
  • Site map
  • Glossary
  • Resources

About

  • Great Archaeological Sites
  • Legal notice
  • Centre des monuments nationaux
  • Credits

Practical information

  • Visiting the Font-de-Gaume cave

About

Beyond time and space, the Archeologie.culture.fr collection presents the history and life of men through the research of the greatest specialists in French archeology.
Visit Archeologie.culture.fr

Discover other sites of the collection

  • 36,000 years ago
    Chauvet cave
  • France - 21,000 years ago
    Lascaux
  • 15,000 years ago
    Prehistoric sculpted rock shelters
  • 15,000 years ago
    Étiolles. Palaeolithic encampments
Logo du ministère de la Culture Logo du musée d'Archéologie nationale domaine national de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Contact - Accessibilité : Partiellement conforme - - 2026. Ministry of Culture (en)