The Cap-Blanc Shelter

L'Abri du Cap-Blanc is located in the town of Marquay, a few kilometers from Les Eyzies. It contains one of the greatest masterpieces of monumental and prehistoric sculpture !! The entry ticket must be reserved online. The site is free for under 18s and 18-25 year olds. Reduced rates are offered to groups of at least 20 people !

I arrive at the shelter parking lot. I have to walk 200 meters to get to reception. It is a rocky path that goes down so it is not very suitable for people with reduced mobility. That said, authorization may be requested to come to the site by car. My favorite is the view from the parking lot of the Commarque castle !!!

The visit begins. Photos are not allowed inside. The guide explains to me that Cap-Blanc is a habitat, sepulchral and art site. It is part of a group of sites in the Beune valley and she shows me these different sites in an aerial photo . I am learning the engraving techniques of different prehistoric cultures and a few photos help to enhance his speech !

I then enter the shelter. The explanation begins with the excavation sites that took place here. The first dates from 1909-1910 and the methods used were quite abrasive. I can see the limit of the original soil and the different stratigraphies thanks to the cutting made during other, more professional excavations in the 1960s.

I learned that the shelter had two phases of occupation : one in the -14000 and the other in the -12000, so there was a large phase of abandonment. The monumental frieze dates from the first occupation. I see the first figure on the left which represents a bison or an auroch in high relief. Then come the horses, some have a bas-relief bison inlaid in the neck or belly. The sculpture is impressive, of such monumentality that it renders me speechless !

The artists used perspective for these representations, a horse in the foreground and another in the background ! The animals are not placed there by chance ! I arrive at the central horse of the composition, the only one made in life size (2.10 meters from nose to tail). It is sublime, the mane in “punk” mode and depending on the light, the representation changes. The horse is therefore animated: either I have a suspicious horse in front of me, or I am facing an attentive horse because both ears reappear !

A small horse in bas-relief completes the composition but I only have the cast here, the original is at the Aquitaine Museum - City of Bordeaux.

On the ground, the reconstruction of the famous tomb found during the excavations. The tomb dates from the first occupation and it was undoubtedly after the burial of the individual that the site was abandoned. It is a woman in the fetal position and surrounded by flint and elements of ornaments which appear to be offerings. After the analyses, his age was around 25 years old and his height between 1m60 and 1m70! I'm a bit like the lady from Cap-Blanc too !

Finally, the guide explains to me that traces of pigments were found on the walls, so all the sculptures were painted red !! It's impressive just imagining it.

I tour the small museum which exhibits objects found during construction sites such as flints and a reconstruction of the lady of Cap-Blanc ! She is very beautiful !

For fans of prehistoric art and engravings, Cap-Blanc is a site that should not be missed. The monumental sculpture is unique and very impressive, full of emotion !

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