[Due to the current situation linked to the coronavirus epidemic, the opening dates of the monuments mentioned in the article are likely to be modified for the year 2020.]
Follow the course of history
Like Périgord, the Ardèche department is a Mecca of French prehistory. To change era, just take the ledge which overhangs the famous gorges of the Ardèche to meet the first men who, more than 300,000 years ago, found refuge in some 500 caves, rock shelters and other listed avens.
Between Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche and Vallon-Pont-D'arc , the D290 marries, over thirty kilometers, the meanders of the Ardèche river on which fleets of multicolored canoes stand out. Succession of belvederes on the tormented gorges and high cliffs hemmed with fragrant vegetation where green oaks, white willows, ash, sarsaparilla and juniper of Phenicia intermingle, this panoramic route allows you to discover some prehistoric caves, starting with that of Saint-Marcel . Famous for its cascade of gours (storied calcite basins) unique in Europe and its monumental rooms, this cave has also served, since 2015, as a natural cellar for a handful of winegrowers who age their wines 80 meters underground (underground tastings from 25 €).
The Madeleine Cave, discovered in 1887, opens out onto the cliff. Grotte_de_la_madeleine-ADT07
The walk continues until the belvedere de la Madeleine . After admiring one of the most beautiful views of the gorges formed almost 6 million years ago and classified as a national nature reserve in 1980, push on to the eponymous cave which opens out into the cliff. Discovered in 1887, it gives access to a series of vast rooms bristling with concretions of singular underground poetry . Note: at the entrance of the cave, the Maison de la Réserve will answer your questions about prehistory, the formation of gorges and caves, the protection of flora and fauna.
From panoramas to viewpoints, the road leads to the impressive arch of the Pont d'Arc . Sculpted by water, 54 meters high and 60 meters wide, it is a geological curiosity unique in the world by its proportions. Dated 500,000 years before our era, used at all times as a natural passage from one bank to the other, the classified site lends itself to a refreshing stop with its two sandy beaches.
Cave of the Madeleine, tourist route of the Gorges de l'Ardèche, 07700 Saint-Remèze. Open from April 1 to November 1. Entrance: 6.50 € -11 €. Phone: 04 75 04 35 06.
Read also: Savoie-mont Blanc: our 10 most beautiful hikes in altitude
Admire the first masterpiece of humanity
Buried in the Ardèche maquis, the replica of the Chauvet cave propels its visitors to the Paleolithic. Claude Fougeirol-ADT07
This stroll through the cradle of prehistoric times continues north on the D4. 6 km from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, stop around -36,000 years BC to discover the oldest decorated cave in the world called Grotte Chauvet 2 . Buried in the Ardèche maquis, the replica of the Chauvet cave, discovered in 1994 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage since June 2014, propels its visitors to the Paleolithic. While the Ardèche is plunged into an ice age, our ancestors take refuge in this cavity and kill time by drawing on the walls an extraordinary bestiary. Horses, mammoths, lions, bison, owls, cave bears, woolly rhinoceros ... A hundred rock paintings and engravings painted in red ocher, engraved with flint or drawn with a finger and charcoal testify to the artistic talent of our ancestors. To complete the immersion in this summit of cave art, do not miss a visit to the gallery of the Aurignacian , an exciting educational space to better understand the way of life and the natural environment of prehistoric men.
Grotte Chauvet 2. Plateau du Razal, 07150 Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Open all year, reservation recommended. Entrance: 6.50 € -13 €. Phone: 04 75 94 39 40.
Go on the dinosaur trail
The site of Aven Marzal has been enriched by a prehistoric zoo, which will delight the little ones (and lovers of "Jurassic Park"). Aven_Marzal-ADT07
A jet of flint further, in Saint-Remèze , the site of Aven Marzal , particularly renowned for its colored concretions enhanced by a sound and light show, has been enriched by a prehistoric zoo for the joy of the most youth. In the middle of a forest populated by life-like roaring dinosaurs, budding paleontologists replay Jurassic Park and compete against the fastest among them in a race they will remember for a long time.
Aven Marzal, route des Gorges, 07700 Saint-Remèze. Open from April 4 to November 1. Entrance to the cave + zoo: € 5 - € 16.50. Phone: 04 75 04 12 45.
Also read: Walking, running or family: ten applications to discover France differently
Traveling to the center of the earth
The Aven d'Orgnac, classified as a major site in France, reveals a fantastic underground world. And dizzying. L.Fremondiere-Aven_d'Orgnac-ADT07
South of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, do not miss Aven d'Orgnac . Classified as a great site in France, this natural sinkhole is the result of the slow work of water which has dug the limestone rock shaping a fantastic underground world. Pharaonic-sized rooms, millennial concretions, delicate crystallizations… A landscaped circuit (700 steps, 1 hour) reveals unexpected wonders. This walk continues thus up to 121 meters below the surface of the earth in the Red Room , for a final in the form of sound and light. The return to the surface is easy, thanks to an elevator. To extend the magic and explore spaces devoid of any layout, the most athletic can opt for a caving session, supervised by experienced guides. Another possibility: put on a virtual reality headset and take an immersive tour to discover inaccessible sections because they are difficult to access and protected from this natural heritage.
Become a reference for the knowledge of the first prehistoric occupations of the Rhône basin (excavations would have revealed human teeth 350,000 years old), this site also shelters the City of Prehistory , a playful museographic space which traces 350,000 years of human adventure thanks to the thousand-year-old objects left to us by our ancestors, from the Neanderthals to the Iron Age. Depending on the season, workshops and demonstrations are offered: firing of spears with a propellant, start of fire, flint pruning.
Aven d'Orgnac, 2240 Route de L'Aven, 07150 Orgnac-l'Aven. Open from February 1 to November 15. Entrance: € 9.50 - € 14.50. Phone: 04 75 38 65 10.
Sleep in a cave
Rock, pebbles, wood and metal: the Silex rooms all refer to a period of prehistoric times. Press photo
To stay in the theme of this prehistoric getaway, book a room at Silex . This troglodyte hotel imagined by Romain and Corinne Helly, consists of 4 rooms dug in the cliff of Pont-d'Arc. Made of rock, river pebbles, wood and metal, they all refer to a period of prehistory (ice age, iron, stone).
Hotel Le Silex, route des Gorges, 07150 Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. From 128 € per double room, 10 € pers. breakfast. Phone: 07 85 32 00 55.
Read also: Quiz: do you know the volcanoes of Auvergne well?
Hiking among the dolmens
Richer in Brittany in dolmens, the Ardèche boasts almost 900 monuments as spectacular as they are mysterious. To discover this exceptional prehistoric heritage, a dolmens route, a belvedere and 5 thematic paths have been developed in South Ardèche. Accessible to all and all year round, these marked trails and equipped with interpretation panels include the visit of several dolmens and highlight the local heritage, such as agricultural terraces, dry stone constructions or natural sites.
Leaflets available in tourist offices.
Find out more: www.ardeche-guide.com
