The Ariege Pyrenees are one of the cradles of prehistory, as evidenced by the many remains left by our ancestors. Just look at the number of decorated caves, archaeological sites, caverns and rock shelters in the département. While some are nothing more than remarkable geological treasures, others reveal numerous traces of settlements, the most emblematic of which date back to the Magdalenian period, culminating in the Niaux cave and its "Black Salon".
The Niaux cave
LheNiaux cave is one of the most famous prehistoric caves in Europe. Abbé Henri Breuil, a specialist in prehistoric art, considered it one of the "six giants of prehistory". And the prehistorian Leroi-Gourhan said of it that "Niaux is the only cave to rival Lascaux for the quality of execution and conservation of its works, for the breadth of its compositions and the breath that animates them".
Situated opposite the Grotte de la Vache, near Tarascon, it extends over more than two kilometres of spacious galleries.it extends over more than two kilometers of spacious galleries and and remains one of the few decorated caves still open to the public. Around a hundred animal representations and several hundred signs have been found on the walls and floor.
One of the galleries features graffiti left by visitors, the oldest dating back to 1,602. But above all, we can see the "sign panel", where numerous geometric signs, generally painted in red, are concentrated, the meaning of which is still a mystery. These signs are also scattered throughout the cave.
Bison, horses, ibex and deer
The apotheosis remains the "Salon Noir", a vast rotunda with an impressive vaulted ceiling. This majestic room houses 85% of the animal figures. They are They are grouped in six natural panels, on which 70 animals (bison, horses, ibex and deer) are distributed, with a finesse of line execution and layout that will not leave you indifferent. One of the hallmarks of these figures is their depiction of detailed animal anatomy. Stylistic conventions concerning coats, horns or the perspective of the animals' legs are frequently found. These figures are depicted in profile, without ground lines, as if "suspended in mid-air". Many of these drawings were first sketched in charcoal like charcoals, then painted with a real manganese dioxide-based paintbrush.
Between 17,000 and 16,000 B.C.
The composition of the paintings and, above all, the direct sampling of charcoal particles have shown that they were produced between 17,000 and 16,000 years BC. Only part of the cave can be visited (booking required), but it's one of the few sites that still offers the deep emotion of being able to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors by torchlight. The Clastres network, which extends it, remains off-limits to the public in order to protect these priceless treasures (the famous weasel, a child's footsteps engraved in the clay...) but you can see a faithful reproduction of it at the Parc de la Préhistoire, located in Tarascon, as well as a facsimile of the Salon Noir. If you want to know more, you can read the works of the famous Ariège prehistorian Jean Clottes (who authenticated the Chauvet cave when it was first discovered). His book "Les Cavernes de Niaux, art préhistorique en Ariège" is an excellent introduction to the visit.
The Mas d'Azil cave
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1942, the Grotte du Mas-d'Azil is recognized as an exceptional site for its impressive geology and archaeological reputation. It is the only cave in Europe to be crossed by a river and a road. It is also the "eponymous" site of a period: the Azilian.
Mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, cave bears
Édouard Piette (one of the first French prehistorians of the late 19the century) excavated the cave in 1887 and discovered short scrapers, flat harpoons made of deer antlers and flat pebbles painted with schematic figures in red ochre. It was he who named the period that characterizes them "Azilian" (circa 11,500 B.C.). The ossuaries still visible on the upper floors provide valuable information on the fauna of the cold periods and the diet of the Magdalenians: mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, cave bears, horses, reindeer, cattle, ibex... An important prehistoric habitat, the cave also contains several ornate galleries with interesting figures that are unfortunately not accessible to visitors. Between 1901 and 1912, Abbé Breuil and Comte Bégouën discovered engravings and red and black paintings in a small room followed by a narrow gallery known as the " Galerie Breuil ". Bison, horses, deer, fish, a possible feline and geometric signs follow one another for several dozen meters. Reproductions of the drawings and engravings in these ornate galleries can be seen in the Musée de la Préhistoire at Mas-d'Azil and at the Centre d'Interprétation.
The Bédeilhac cave
It's an immense cavern with impressive stalagmitic concretions. 14,000 years ago, Cro Magnon left his handprint here.
The Cow Cave
Located in Aliat, it is the ideal complement to visits to the Niaux and Bédeilhac caves, where Cro-Magnon lived 13,000 years ago. Archaeologists have found thousands of objects, including animal bones and teeth, tools and weapons, as well as sublimely decorated objects, each more delicate and refined than the last. To visit this cave is to discover the intimacy and life of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.
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Preparing your visit
- The Bedeilhac cave
- The Mas d'Azil cave
- The Niaux cave
- La Grotte de la Vache
- Les Carvernes du Volp
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