Les Eyzies - Dordogne, a travel guide

Up to a million visitors per year (to this village of 900 inhabitants) ensure that Les Eyzies is often rather busy. Les Eyzies is in the heart of the Vezere Valley and surrounded by many, many caves and prehistoric drawings and remnants - including some of the most beautiful to be seen in Europe - and other prehistoric attractions (see separate pages for caves).  All in all there are almost 100 pre-historic sites packed into the area around Les Eyzies.

Indeed, the cave-lined Vézère valley has been classified as a heritage site by UNESCO. It was near to Les Eyzies that CroMagnon man was discovered (the three skeletons were discovered at the end of the 19th century, as well as the cave paintings at Fond de Gaume, one of the last prehistoric cave-painting sites that is still open to the public.

Les Eyzies Village

The village of Les Eyzies is spread out in a long line with the river on one side and a  very imposing rock wall at the other. In places this rock leans out over the houses and cafés below. It is in this rock, set above most of the village that the marvellous Musée National de Prehistoire is located.

Many of the buildings on the main road are hotels, bars and restaurants to cater for the influx of villlages. The Tourist office is also on the main highstreet. Just behind these next to the river are some attractive picnic spots and play areas for children.

From the Musée National de Prehistoire you can wander along the top edge of the village; take the 'Chemin des Escalettes' down into a little wooded valley with a stream - the lovely setting for the Restaurant Au Vieux Moulin.

There is a 'train touristique' which you can pick up from the car park.

Things to do in Les Eyzies

Les Eyzies really is at the centre of a very beautiful area, with the many cliff and rock formations, and surrounded by rivers, hills and tranquil countryside. It is also home to the excellent National Prehistory Museum which houses one of the world’s most complete collections of prehistoric artifacts. Note the museum is closed on Tuesdays.

Just a couple of hundred metres from the National Prehistory museum is Abri Pataud, a cro-magnon shelter dating back almost 40,000 years. It was used by reindeer hunters. The Musée de l'Abri Pataud is a privately owned collection  of pre-historic finds, mostly from the shelter and its local surroundings. It has an Ibex carved into its ceiling which dates back to about 19000BC.

Visitors now frequently use the town as a base for exploring the region.

There are numerous caves to visit in and around Les Eyzies, plus a number of prehistoric parks (perhaps more for the children...) for a glimpse of what life was really like in the Dordogne 10,000 years ago.