Chauvet & Cosquer8th Apr 2025

An in-depth analysis of two of palaeontology’s greatest finds

Palaeolithic cave painting and engravings are mankind’s first recognisable artistic expression, but they mean more even than that. They show creatures which were extant during the Ice Age, shed light on hunter gatherer culture thousands of years old and many archaeologists believe that the art is a highly sophisticated way of expressing complex beliefs about the supernatural world. The story of mankind is a constantly changing jigsaw puzzle in which many pieces are missing or even change shape as improvements in scientific dating methods and new discoveries redefine them yet again. The discovery of the caves at Cosquer in the Ardeche in 1985 and Chauvet – Pont d’Arc in Provence in 1994 were of huge significance. Exceptional because of the number and variety of the animal images depicted, their extreme age and quality, together with the sheer size of both sites with their interlocking galleries; these caves revolutionize our understanding of emerging human creativity.

Andante Travels is unique amongst tour operators in including the prehistoric past in so many of our programmes and in offering some which are solely devoted to this fascinating and less well-known period of our common heritage. Join us on this tour for an in-depth analysis of two of palaeontology’s greatest finds in the company of an expert on rock art, and fabulous exponent of popular and accessible archaeology.