Guide Perigord_version anglaise

©TitiaCarrizey-Jasick

Thierry Felix, prehistorian

“The emotion is always palpable”

“If you want to speak about the universal, tell me about your village! Nestled amongst hills, Montignac is reflected in the Vézère River while secretely storing the treasures of its past in its soil. It’s a lively little town. Every street leads to the hills where men have roamed since the beginning of time. One of these hills revealed the oldest known burial place, that of Neanderthal of Regourdou, whilst retaining the world’s most prized cave-art site at the legendary Lascaux! What a hill…The emotion is always palpable there as you will see for yourself if you happen to take the Discovery Trail, that connects the Hill of Lascaux to the village.”

©BertrandRieger

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

Nicknamed “the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory”, Lascaux I, the original cave discovered in 1940 with wall paintings an estimated 17,000 years old, was closed to the public in 1963. The decision was taken to put an end to biodegradation caused by overcrowding. The facsimile, an exact copy of the wall painting named Lascaux II, was opened in 1983. Since 2012, a duplicate on removable panels, called Lascaux III travels the world over, with great success. Finally the International Centre of Parietal Art, due to open at the end of 2016, will be called Lascaux IV. Lascaux I, II, III or IV?

The Four Finders

©PhilippeRoy

In the summer of 1940, Marcel Ravidat set out to find a legendary underground tunnel said to lead to Montignac Castle.After his dog Robot disappeared down a foxhole, the young man came back with three friends to follow: Jacques Marsal, Georges Agniel and Simon Coencas.They discovered the first paintings by the light of a lantern…Their find soon reached the ears of Prehistorians, including the Abbot Breuil.

©TitiaCarrizey-Jasick

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24+1VILLAGES OF PÉRIGORD