Caves of Thaïs, Show cave in Saint-Nazaire-en-Royans, France.
The Caves of Thaïs is a show cave with roughly 400 meters of walkable galleries, where an underground river flows through chambers decorated with naturally colored rock in shades of red and black. The stone formations create a layered appearance, and visitors can hear the sound of water moving through the passages.
People used this cave for shelter approximately 15,000 years ago during the last Ice Age, leaving behind tools and evidence of daily activities. The archaeological finds demonstrate that early inhabitants occupied the site regularly over time.
The cave contains an engraved bone artifact known as number 250, which researchers interpret as one of the earliest examples of lunar calendar tracking.
The cave maintains a constant temperature of 13 degrees Celsius throughout the year, making a light layer of clothing useful even in summer months. Guided tours last about one hour and allow safe exploration of all accessible sections.
A bone artifact discovered here suggests that early inhabitants may have tracked and recorded the moon's movements over time. This object could be among the oldest known examples of deliberate celestial observation.
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