Margot cave, Prehistoric cave in Thorigné-en-Charnie, France
Margot Cave is an underground chamber with limestone walls extending about 285 meters into the earth and containing several narrow passages. Visitors need to crawl through certain sections, and the spaces include various hollows and crevices in the rock.
The cave was first documented in 1701 and contains over 100 Paleolithic representations showing various animal species. The artworks date from different periods of prehistory, revealing how long this location was used by humans.
The cave displays paintings and engravings carved into limestone by people who lived there thousands of years ago. Visitors can see these works today and understand how significant such places were for the people who inhabited the region.
Visits are only possible with guided tours, as the cave is a fragile underground environment. Wheelchair users cannot access this location because the narrow and uneven passages are not suitable.
Scientists have discovered handprints from the Gravettian period in the cave, showing that people pressed their hands against the rock walls. These intimate traces connect us directly to people who lived there tens of thousands of years ago.
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