Ancient paintings on stone

by E. Barbara Phillips, Latitudes Cultural Center

The Sistine Chapel of the Quercy

Co-created by nature and the human imagination, the decorated caves at Pech-Merle in France can overwhelm the senses – and emotions. Pech Merle (pech = hillock in the local dialect) is a truly magnificent labyrinth of caves with stonelike formations, colorful paintings, finger drawings and splendid engravings done by Paleolithic humans. In the space of about one kilometer, you see a great polychrome fresco of two black horses with six "negative" hands, more than 60 representations of bison, auroch, and other animals, plus human figures. Some prehistoric cave paintings incorporate the natural, stonelike forms (concretions) of the cave walls.

Although painted and engraved some 20,000 years ago, the subterranean treasures at Pech-Merle were discovered only in 1922 by two young brothers. A cleric, Abbé Lemozi, then explored and excavated the site for the next seven years.

Today, Pech-Merle is sometimes called “The Sistine Chapel of the Quercy” (Quercy is the pre-Napoleonic name of the province, still in popular use). Here lie some of the most moving works of Paleolithic art ever seen. My personal favorites include representations of wooly mammoths in the so-called "chapelle des mammouths."

Unlike Lascaux, its more famous "cousin" in the Dordogne, Pech-Merle allows visitors to view the original artworks, not facsimiles. Located about two hours north of the Toulouse airport, and two minutes from the tiny village of Cabrerets, Pech-Merle welcomes visitors  from Easter to Halloween. Tours are conducted in French, but an English guidebook is provided upon request. The adjoining museum features important collections of artifacts and historical information.

A travel hint: June and September are ideal times to visit Pech-Merle. Not because of the weather as it is normally sweater weather (cool and damp) inside the caves regardless of the outside temperature. Rather, fewer tourists visit this 3-star Michelin attraction in those months so you have a better chance of getting in! (Advance reservations are advisable in July and August.)

Visits to Pech-Merle are a regular feature of several courses at Latitude Cultural Center offered in June and September. These include "A Taste of Southwest France" (usually offered in early September) and "Drawing on Our Stone Age Heritage"

E. Barbara Phillips is founder/director of Latitude Cultural Center, La Toulzanie (Lot), France, and Professor Emerita of Sociology & Urban Studies at San Francisco State University.