La Roque Saint-Christophe, Archaeological site and fortress in Dordogne, France
The limestone cliff formation extends one kilometer along the Vézère River, featuring five levels of natural shelters reaching 80 meters in height.
The site transformed from prehistoric dwelling into a medieval fortress, serving as a strategic stronghold during the Hundred Years War until English forces captured it in 1401.
The ancient shelters demonstrate the evolution of human habitation techniques from the Paleolithic period through the Renaissance, accommodating up to 1000 inhabitants.
The location offers guided tours, medieval machinery demonstrations, educational workshops, and a 3D film presentation explaining the geological formation of the cliffs.
Twenty-two watchtowers positioned along an 18-kilometer stretch of cliff maintained communication between Campagne village and the fortress through signal systems.
Location: Peyzac-le-Moustier
Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible
Address: 2433 Rte de la Préhistoire, 24620 Peyzac-le-Moustier, France 24620 Peyzac-le-Moustier
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-18:30
Phone: +33553507045
Website: http://roque-st-christophe.com
GPS coordinates: 44.98904,1.06878
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:41
France features a notable variety of protected natural areas, showcasing the country’s geological and ecological richness. From Lake Allos in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the underground rivers of Padirac in Dordogne, from the mountain ranges of Savoy to the limestone formations of the Ardèche gorges, each region displays landscapes shaped over millennia of natural evolution. This collection gathers sites where nature is expressed freely: primary forests, karst systems, high-altitude lakes, moving dunes of the Atlantic coast, and rock formations carved by erosion. These areas provide diverse ecosystems, home to species adapted to different environments, from Alpine flora and fauna to dune communities and underground cave biodiversity. Each natural site in this selection serves as an open-air laboratory where geological processes, ecosystem dynamics, and living adaptation to local conditions can be observed. These sites invite discovery of authentic landscapes, removed from human impact, where geological time is evident in every rock formation and glacier valley.
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