Gisement du Régourdou (sépulture néandertalienne)

Montignac-Lascaux

In 1954, a farmer of Montignac, Roger Constant, dug his land looking for a second entrance to the nearby cave of Lascaux. In September 1957, he uncovered human bones. Rescue excavations, led notably by François Bordes, revealed the skeleton of a young Neanderthal under 25 years old. His skull is missing: some think it was stolen, others that it was removed during a rite, or that it is still buried. The site also yielded 918 fragments of brown bear bones. For some researchers, they testify to a bear cult linked to the tomb; for others, the cave was a den where animals died or were trapped by rockfalls. Both readings remain hypotheses. The deposit has been listed as a historic monument since 1959 and can be visited with its small museum.

Dordogne-Périgord Tourisme — Site néandertal de Regourdou ↗

Getting there: The site is visited with a guide (about 45 minutes): open-air deposit, small museum in the former farm and bear enclosure. Times change according to the season (generally 11 am-6 pm, 10 am-7 pm in July-August) and are not guaranteed: telephone beforehand on 05 53 51 81 23. Address: chemin du Régourdou, Montignac-Lascaux.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound