Dordogne Day Tour : Prehistory and The Art of the Caves from Sarlat

About this tour

This eight-hour small-group tour from Sarlat traces the Paleolithic heritage of the Dordogne across three landmark sites. Start at the National Prehistory Museum, home to the world's largest collection of Stone Age artefacts, then explore Lascaux IV—a meticulously rendered facsimile of the original cave paintings. Finish at La Roque Saint-Christophe, a dramatic cliff face honeycomb with prehistoric shelters that reveals how ancient communities engineered survival into the limestone. A qualified English-speaking guide narrates throughout.

Highlights

• World's largest Paleolithic artefact collection on display
• Lascaux IV recreation captures 17,000-year-old animal paintings
• La Roque Saint-Christophe's cliff dwellings and engineering
• Professional guide explains context before and after each site
• Suitable for families; children aged 4+ welcome
• All entrance fees included in the price

What to expect

You'll spend roughly two hours at the Prehistory Museum examining tools, figurines and bone work spanning thousands of years. Lascaux IV involves walking through a faithful replica of the original cave system—expect dim lighting, cool temperatures, and your guide providing interpretation outside the chamber itself (French-language tours dominate the schedule, so English visitors receive expert briefing beforehand and afterwards). La Roque Saint-Christophe requires climbing internal staircases to view the honeycomb of shelters carved into the rock face, with your guide explaining how Paleolithic groups adapted to cliff living. Pace is moderate but steady.

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