Grottes de Cougnac, Prehistoric cave in Payrignac, France
Grottes de Cougnac is a cave with two distinct sections in southwest France, where visitors explore different geological and artistic features. One section displays thousands of natural stalactites forming the ceiling, while the other contains prehistoric paintings and hand prints on the walls.
The cave was discovered in 1949 and holds artistic works from the Upper Paleolithic period dating back about 25,000 years. The paintings depict animals such as mammoths, ibex, and deer created with ochre and charcoal on the rock walls.
Hand stencils and animal figures were created by early people using natural pigments directly on the walls. Visitors can observe these artistic marks today and sense the creative expression of those who lived here thousands of years ago.
Visitors can join guided tours lasting about two hours that lead through both cave sections and make the site easy to explore. Onsite facilities include a shop, parking, and educational displays to enhance the visit.
The cave had been hidden from widespread awareness despite lying beneath inhabited land until excavations exposed it to view. This undiscovered status preserved the artworks particularly well, as isolation protected them from damage over thousands of years.
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