Pre-Historic Rock Art in the Ariege Tour

Further to the huge success of our Dordogne and Spanish Cave Art tours, we have constructed a new tour to look at cave art from the French Pyrenees region. The tour includes visits to the Niaux cave following in the footsteps of some of the earliest cave art tourists; Le Mas d’Azil, the only cave with a road running through it; Bédeilhac, with its enormous entrance, which was used as an ideal natural aircraft hangar during the last war; a subterranean river tour of the Labouiche cave; and a visit to the Prehistoric Park at Tarascon sur Ariege. Previous cave art tours have received rave reviews from clients fascinated by the knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject shown by our expert, Dr David Saunders.

ITINERARY 

Day 1: London to Toulouse
Fly from London Heathrow to Toulouse and transfer by coach to Mirepoix (approx. one hour and 15 minutes) for check-in to the hotel for a five night stay. Evening welcome drink at the hotel, then a lecture from Dr David Saunders:“3 queens and the discovery of cave art”, followed by a group dinner.

Day 2: The real cave of Niaux and the Prehistoric park at Tarascon sur Ariege
This morning we drive 1 hour to Niaux Cave which involves a walk for approximately two kilometres past spacious galleries, low vaults and underground lakes. Within the first gallery, we can see graffiti left by previous visitors, the oldest dating from 1602, while on the sign panel there are many geometric signs, the meaning of which is still mysterious. The highlight of the visit however is found during the discovery of the Salon Noir, a vast rotunda with an impressive ceiling height. It is within this majestic room that our ancestors chose to represent more than 70 paintings of animals: bison, horses, ibex and deer. After lunch (own expense) we drive 15 minutes to Prehistoric park on the edge of the Tarascon which features reproduction paintings from other caves in the Pyrenees which are inaccessible or closed to the public. Other features include examples of the types of shelters that were probably constructed by our earlier Magdalenian ancestors alongside demonstrations of flint knapping, fire starting and spear throwing. Second lecture by David this evening: “The prehistoric portable art of Europe”, followed by dinner.

Day 3: Boat trip along the Canal du Midi followed by a visit to the Bedeilhac cave
The history of the Canal du Midi goes back to 1666, when the king signed the Edict of Saint-Germain, authorizing the construction of the canal. It was inaugurated in 1681 where at 242 km long it links Toulouse with the Mediterranean Sea. Our canal cruise today will sails through a landscape of rolling countryside and canal-side vineyards. Bédeilhac has an enormous entrance, over 17 metres at its highest point. Unfortunately, the size of the cave’s mouth meant that during the last war it was an ideal natural hangar for aircraft. The French military occupied the cave from 1938, and they were followed by the German military during their occupation of France during World War II which resulted in the levelling of the cave floor and the laying of a concrete base upon which aircraft were stored. This process destroyed many of the archaeological deposits within the first 350 metres of the cave; however, Bédeilhac still has a great diversity of parietal and portal art including some truly exquisite examples of carved bone artefacts. This evening is free at leisure.

Day 4: Full day free in Toulouse
Free day in Toulouse to perhaps visit St Stephen’s Cathedral and St Sernin Basilica, a wander around the Japanese Gardens or explore the Space Museum.

Day 5: La Mas d’Azil and an underground boat trip along the subterranean river of Labouiche
The only cave within the Ariege with a road running through it, La Mas d'Azil delivers geological wealth, exceptional dimensions, and archaeological discoveries such as paintings and engravings representing bison, fish, horses and geometric signs; the bones of mammoths, woolly rhinoceros and cave bears; plus decorated pebbles, harpoons, and pottery. After lunch (own expense) we travel to village of Labouiche, where deep below ground flows Europe’s longest navigable underground river. Discovered in 1908 by a local doctor, it’s been open to the public since 1938. We take a 1.5km boat trip which culminates with a clattering waterfall known as the Cascade Salette, which tumbles into a sparkling turquoise pool. Depending on rainfall, the waterfall’s speed can vary anywhere from 100L to 1500L litres per second.

Day 6 Transfer to the airport for return flights to London Heathrow

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.

Tour Grading: This tour has been graded as Demanding due to the amount of walking involved at each site, and also due to the limits involved with visiting the caves, for example low height, sometimes poorly lit spaces and also the floor may be slippery and uneven underfoot. On day 2 the Niaux Cave visit lasts for around one hour and forty-five minutes, starting with a 800-meter walk through a vast gallery. Accompanied by a guide, you move in the dark, lit only by portable lamps past spacious galleries, low vaults and underground lakes. On day 3 the guided tour at Bédeilhac lasts 90 minutes. On day 5 the tour of Mas-d'Azil is approx 1.5km long, and includes a 1 hour guided tour. The Labouiche boat trip lasts 75 minutes for approx 1.5km underground.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 23 passengers.

INCLUDED

• Return airfares from London Heathrow to Toulouse
• Five nights' bed and breakfast at three-star Hotel les Minotiers, Mirepoix, based on twin share or double occupancy
• 2 dinners
• All guided tours and admissions as per the itinerary
• Coach transfers and touring as per the itinerary
• Tour Lecturer David Saunders thoughout
• Tour Manager throughout

NOT INCLUDED

• Single supplement - £250
• Holiday insurance 
• Meals other than those stated 
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
• Porterage and gratuities

HOTELS

Hotel les Minotiers, Mirepoix

This three-star hotel, located near the medieval main square in the small town of Mirepoix, offers a terrace, bar, and restaurant, and comfortable bedrooms with ensuite bathroom, TV, WIFI, hairdryer and iron.

Hotel Website

MORE INFO 

Your Lecturer - Dr David Saunders

David has an interest in all areas prehistoric. He has just completed over 10 years of archaeological excavations at Blick Mead near Stonehenge and undertakes lectures across all periods of prehistory throughout the UK. Following the success of his first book, “The Cursus Enigma”, he has just published his second book, “The Cursus Monuments of Buckinghamshire and the Great Ouse Valley”, which investigates cursus monuments within his local area. His many tours for Travel Editions in recent years have been extremely well received.