Pech Merle cave

Pech Merle is a cave in the commune of Cabrerets, in the Lot department, Occitania region — some 32 kilometres to the east of Cahors. Its galleries hold prehistoric paintings and engravings, and it counts among the very few French caves with Ice Age art still open to paying visitors.

Where is Pech Merle located?

The cave runs into a hillside above Cabrerets, a small village on the Célé river in the Quercy district, known for its limestone plateaus riddled with karst caves. The entrance sits at coordinates 44.5081 N, 1.6444 E, about a thirty-minute drive from Cahors, the closest larger town.

What is inside the cave?

Pech Merle spreads across two levels and more than 2 km of galleries, chambers and shafts, though only around 1,200 metres of that network are open to visitors. The walls carry paintings and engravings attributed to the Gravettian culture, with some panels possibly added later, during the Magdalenian period. The best-known panel is the so-called "Spotted Horses" (chevaux ponctués): two horses drawn back to back, surrounded by a fish, hand stencils, thumb prints and a scatter of enigmatic signs, with the neck of a third horse visible alongside them. The composition is estimated at around 29,000 years old, making it one of the oldest and best-preserved examples of Palaeolithic cave art in Europe.

How do visits work?

Entry is guided only, with groups capped at 25 people, and the cave is open to visitors from February through November. To limit wear on the paintings, daily visitor numbers are restricted — in July and August the cap drops to 700 people per day. In practice this means booking a ticket online is required year-round, and visitors need to collect their tickets a quarter of an hour before the scheduled entry time. A prehistory centre next to the cave sets out the story of the discovery and the significance of the artwork before visitors head underground.

History and protection status

The cave was discovered in 1922. Since 1951 it has held the status of monument historique, in the "classé" category, the strictest tier of heritage protection in France. That listing reflects Pech Merle's exceptional standing among French Palaeolithic sites and comes with tight rules on how the interior is presented to the public, aimed at shielding the paintings from the humidity, carbon dioxide and temperature swings that visitors bring in with them.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book tickets in advance for Pech Merle? Yes. Online booking applies year-round, and in summer, when the daily cap of 700 visitors kicks in, buying ahead is effectively the only way to guarantee entry.

Can visitors explore the cave on their own? No — entry is guided only, in groups of up to 25 people.

What is the cave's main highlight? The "Spotted Horses" panel, a roughly 29,000-year-old composition featuring two horses, a fish, hand stencils and abstract signs.

When is the cave open to the public? The visiting season runs from February to November.

How big is the cave, and how much of it can be seen? The full network extends beyond 2 km, but the visitor route covers about 1,200 metres, with the rest closed off to protect the interior.