Le Thot – Espace Cro-Magnon
Le Thot – Espace Cro-Magnon is an interactive prehistoric centre located in the small town of Thonac on the right bank of the Vézère River, about 7 km from the Cave of Lascaux in Montignac.
Perched on a small hill amidst lush vegetation, it offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Vézère Valley. Founded in 1972, Le Thot comprises a museum and a 5-hectare animal park. The museum is dedicated to cave art and features five life-size reproductions of paintings from La Nave and Le Puits, two sections of the Lascaux Cave not included in Lascaux II.
These reproductions faithfully recreate the original cave paintings in terms of their layout, dimensions, the slope of the floor, and the order in which they were displayed. Visitors can also enjoy 3D video projections, a diorama illustrating prehistoric artists’ workshops, and a variety of interactive activities.
Participants can take part in introductory workshops that explore rock art techniques, using authentic natural pigments and supports such as rock walls. For geology enthusiasts, workshops offer simulated archaeological digs at the foot of a rock shelter.
Le Thot – Animal park
The museum also houses a meticulously reconstructed Palaeolithic hunters’ camp, validated by scientists. It showcases the daily life of our ancestors and the magnificent creatures they hunted, such as the aurochs, mammoth, cave lion, and giant deer.
In the wildlife park, you will discover the modern-day descendants of the prehistoric animals depicted on the walls of Lascaux.
While the aurochs became extinct in 1627, the Heck brothers undertook remarkable work in 1931 to “recreate” the species. By selectively crossbreeding certain cattle breeds from Corsica, Hungary, and Scotland, whose genetic heritage was very close to that of the original species, they succeeded in creating a breed related to the aurochs. These “recreated aurochs” have been bred in captivity since 1979.
The park is also home to a significant population of deer and ibex, animals frequently depicted in the Lascaux cave paintings, which include 85 representations of deer and 35 of ibex. Visitors can also admire Przewalski’s horses, whose depictions have become emblematic of Lascaux, as well as Tarpan horses and an automaton mammoth.
Le Thot park also features a network of trails, complete with picnic areas, allowing visitors to explore the surrounding nature at their own pace.
These features make Thot a popular destination for children and nature lovers, the free parking being an added bonus!
Department of Dordogne -Thonac – Off the D706E
Coordinates: Lat 45.035480 – Long 1.123078
