La grotte de Mas d´Azil

Mas d´Azil cave

Google Maps:
43.067629, 1.355762

Type of site:
Rock-Shelters

Place of location: Vallée de l'Arize
Village/Town: Le Mas d'Azil
Municipality: Ariège (Midi Pyrénées)
Region: Occitanie
State: France
Telephone: (+33) (0) 561 699 771
Website: http://www.sites-touristiques-ariege.fr/sites-touristiques-ariege/grotte-du-mas-dazil

Natural Environment:

The cave is located in Plantaurel Hills. The River Arize flows through it, and also the department road, which gives it a very special character.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

The cave has yielded important lithic and bone collections, corresponding to several occupations in the Magdalenian and Azilian periods, as well as a large number of portable art objects. The cave has passages with paintings and engravings, but these cannot be visited.

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Opening Times:

March: Sunday from 14.00 to 18.00. April 1 – June 30: Weekdays: 14.00 – 18.00. Sunday and public holidays: 10.00 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 18.00. July 1 – September 30: 10.00 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 18.00. October and November: Sunday and public holidays.

Booking and access:

Advance booking is only necessary for groups.

Nearby cultural destinations:

Palais des Evêques de St Lizier (24 km). Château de Foix (30 km).

Nearby natural destinations:

Labouiche Underground River (30 km).

Accommodations (Tourism Website):

Restaurants (Tourism Website):

Age of the artistic representations:

Most of the evidence can be dated in the Magdalenian. A less important part belongs to the Azilian and a few rare objects correspond to the Aurignacian period.

General description of the destination:

It is a modern Museum that introduces archaeological remains from the first culture of the Upper Palaeolithic, including artistic elements on mobile soports. This Museum organizes activities (workshops, temporary expositions…) and visits to the Archaeological site that gave the name to the Aurignacian Culture, developed by the first modern anatomically people of Europe.

Museographic resources description:

A new and great interpretation centre has been developed inside the cave, with an original museographic project. To visit the cave, it is necessary to visit this centre and its hall dedicated to Prehistory and the animals that used the cave during the Pleistocene. Besides, the Prehistory Museum of the village is 800 m from the cave. It contains a collection of beautiful Magdalenian and Azilian objects, particularly the famous spear-thrower known as the “fawn with birds”. The Visitors’ Centre has information about bears and their connection with Prehistory.

Mas d´Azil cave

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