Grotte Chauvet a Chance to See the Prehistoric Art by Torchlight
The Grotte Chauvet 2 is one of the wonders of France. Called “the cave of forgotten dreams,” it is the near-perfect replica of a cave filled with paintings made more than 30,000 years ago—the oldest ever discovered. Not only is the art recreated, but the entire cave is replicated down to the smallest detail, with stalagmites and stalactites here and there and bear skulls scattered on the ground. Walking through it, and seeing paintings of lions and rhinos, is like stepping back in time.
©Patrick Aventurier
Torchlight Tours
And now there’s something new—tours by torchlight. Small groups are led by guides armed with torches, viewing the stunning artwork in their flickering light. Visitors can see the paintings as our ancestors did, with the works coming to life as the shadows play on the walls’ nooks and crannies.
© Grotte Chauvet 2 – Ardèche
The torches are a recent invention made with LEDs rather than wood and pitch that would have been used at the time. These LED torches faithfully recreate the light without any damaging smoke.
The tours are in French. However, audio guides are available in English and other languages. Buying tickets in advance is strongly recommended. Here is a video teaser:
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The torchlight tours run through March 31, and then the regular tours begin again in April. Also starting in April is a new spectacle in the next-door visitor center. It is a 360-degree immersive show called ANIMAL that will allow the spectator to wander through 36,000 years of parietal art, from caves to contemporary street art.
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