Margot cave

Margot Cave (Grotte de Margot) is one of the best-known underground sites in the Erve river valley, located in the commune of Thorigné-en-Charnie, in the Mayenne department, Pays de la Loire region. The cave runs for roughly 319 metres with a vertical range of nearly 14 metres, and forms part of the group of caves at Saulges, a cluster of underground sites that also includes the nearby but separate Rochefort cave. The two are distinct attractions with their own entrances and history — this description covers Margot cave only.

Where does the name come from?

The name comes from a folk legend recorded since the 18th century. According to the story, a fairy named Margot lived deep inside the cave, ruling an underground realm and handing out money to anyone who brought her a black animal — a lamb, a hen, or another dark-coloured creature — as an offering. The tale outlived any practical memory of the cave's own entrance, which had clearly been known to local people for a very long time: the earliest written mention of the cave dates back to 1701.

What is hidden inside the cave?

The cave's real treasure is the prehistoric art found deep within it. Undisputed paintings and engravings were only identified in July 2005, following work by a research team led by Romain Pigeaud as part of a programme investigating Palaeolithic settlement in the Erve valley. The oldest layer, attributed to the Gravettian period (roughly 25,000 to 32,000 years ago), includes positive and negative hand stencils, a bison, a giant deer (megaloceros), and two woolly rhinoceroses. A later layer, assigned to the final Magdalenian (about 13,000 years ago), consists of finely worked engravings: horses, six woolly rhinoceroses, birds, a reindeer, an aurochs, two anthropomorphic figures, and a female symbol. Access to the cave was once difficult — the original entrance opening measured only about 50 centimetres across, and visitors had to crawl through several passages.

How did the cave come to be protected?

Margot cave ranks among the earliest caves in France opened to the public, welcoming visitors as far back as 1861. It was listed as a historic monument in 1926, which makes 2026 the hundredth anniversary of that protected status — an occasion marked by anniversary events organised by the local tourist office.

How can you visit Margot cave?

Visits are guided and run in groups only; booking is required year-round, with online reservation and payment. A standard tour lasts around 40 minutes. Alongside the regular tour, themed options are available, including lantern-lit tours focused on the cave's geology, open to visitors aged 6 and up, and small-group tours limited to 8 people from age 12, designed for a closer look at the hidden prehistoric artwork. The starting point sits in the Valley of the Saulges Caves, on the chemin de la Roche-Brault in Thorigné-en-Charnie.

FAQ

Where exactly is Margot cave located? In the commune of Thorigné-en-Charnie, Mayenne department, in the Erve river valley, Pays de la Loire region.

Is Margot cave the same place as Rochefort cave? No. They are two separate sites within the same Saulges caves complex, close to one another but with their own entrances and separate histories.

How old is the artwork inside the cave? The oldest paintings date to the Gravettian period, around 25,000 to 32,000 years ago, while the engravings belong to the final Magdalenian, roughly 13,000 years ago.

Do you need to book in advance? Yes, reservations are required all year round, and visits only take place as part of guided groups.

From what age can children visit? Standard themed tours are open from age 6, while tours focused closely on the cave art are open from age 12.