Grotte des Fées de Châtelperron

Châtelperron

Opened in the lacustrine limestone of the Graveron valley, north of the village, the two cavities Bailleau (26 m) and Poirier (20 m) yielded, from the 19th-century excavations onward, a characteristic lithic industry of points and backed knives. This site gives its name to the Châtelperronian, a pivotal cultural facies dated to around 45,000 to 32,000 years ago, whose attribution to the last Neanderthals or the first modern humans remains debated. The caves are locally nicknamed 'Boîte aux Fées' or 'Cave aux fées' (Fairy Box / Fairy Cave).

Getting there : Archaeological site visitable with a guide from the village; on-site museum displaying the collections. Cavities not developed for unaccompanied visits. Approximate coordinates.

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

Ambient sound