Grotte de la Salpêtrière, Prehistoric cave and archaeological site in Vers-Pont-du-Gard, France.
The Grotte de la Salpêtrière sits 200 meters downstream from the Pont du Gard, featuring rock shelters that contain traces of ancient human settlements.
Archaeological excavations since 1872 revealed multiple layers from different periods, including Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic remains.
The cave gave its name to the Salpêtrien culture, dating back 19,000 years, and contains essential artifacts from the Upper Paleolithic period in Mediterranean France.
This classified historical monument requires special permission for access, as it remains closed to the general public since its classification in June 1931.
Researchers discovered a preserved antelope saiga antler fragment within the cave, dating from the Tardiglacial period between 16,050 and 9,700 BCE.
Location: Vers-Pont-du-Gard
GPS coordinates: 43.94750,4.53770
Latest update: June 23, 2025 10:01
Pont du Gard
178 m
Château de Castille
4.3 km
Château de Saint-Privat
1.7 km
Château de Lédenon
4.1 km
Chapelle Saint-Caprais de Castillon-du-Gard
3.2 km
Pont de la Combe Joseph
1 km
Grotte Bayol
4 km
Chapelle Saint-Étienne de Saint-Hilaire-d'Ozilhan
4.9 km
Church of Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard
2.5 km
Chapelle Saint-Pierre de Vers-Pont-du-Gard
1.6 km
Église Notre-Dame-de-Bethléem de Remoulins
1.9 km
Église Saint-Christophe de Castillon-du-Gard
2.9 km
Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Martin de Remoulins
2 km
Église Saint Sauveur de Sernhac
4.3 km
Saint Vincent's Church
4.9 km
Église de Saint-Hilaire-d'Ozilhan
4.9 km
Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Lédenon
4.3 km
Chapelle Saint-Christophe de Castillon-du-Gard
3 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Vers
2.4 km
Château de Rabasse
3.7 km
Partie de l'aqueduc de Nîmes à Sernhac
3.9 km
Pont suspendu de Remoulins
2 km
Ermitage Notre-Dame-de-Laval, Collias
4.1 km
Pont du Combe Roussiere
330 m
Chapelle Saint-Louis-Roi-de-France d'Argilliers
4.3 km
Chapelle Saint-Martin de Remoulins
3 km
Porte de Remoulins
1.9 km
Ancienne église de Castillon-du-Gard
3 kmReviews
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