Grotte de la Baume Bonne

Quinson

Overlooking the Gorges du Verdon near the village of Quinson, the Grotte de la Baume-Bonne ('baume' meaning cave in Occitan) is one of the major prehistoric deposits of southern France, with a sequence of human occupation spanning nearly 400,000 to 500,000 years. Rediscovered by the amateur caver Bernard Bottet in 1946, it was excavated by Henry de Lumley until 1968, then by Claire Gaillard and Jean Gagnepain from 1988 onward. The archaeological layers have yielded lithic industries attributed successively to Homo erectus, Neanderthal man and then to Upper Palaeolithic and Cardial Neolithic populations.

Getting there : Listed historic monument; guided tours only, organised by the Musée de Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon in Quinson

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

Ambient sound