François Hollande inaugurates Lascaux 4, a new replica of the cave – The World

This project has the ambition to revive the visitor “the same sensations” that the four teenagers who had discovered the prehistoric cave in 1940.

The new life-size replica of the Lascaux cave will open its doors to the public on Thursday 15 December. But François Hollande has inaugurated a few days earlier, on Saturday, the international Centre of parietal art of Montignac, in the Dordogne, which is home to the Lascaux 4.

” It is more than a facsimile, it is a work ! “, has responded the head of State, asking about the dating of the prehistoric cave, painted there are approximately 18 000 years ago. Upon his arrival, François Hollande, unveiled a plaque, officially opening the international Centre of parietal art of Montignac, located on the opposite side of the hill where the cave original.

For this new project of 8 500 m² scientific, artistic and tourism, the objective is to revive the visitor of the ” the same sensations “ as the four young teenagers who, believing unearth the underground of a castle, had discovered on 12 September 1940 the exceptional shrine to the prehistoric. The last survivor of the group, Simon Coencas, aged 89, was present at the inauguration of Lascaux 4.

Nestled in a sober building of concrete and glass, while length semi-buried, which is registered as a ” flaw in the landscape “, the replica resumes the dimensions, the reliefs and the colors of the original cave.

Protect the original cave

The beginning of the visit simulates the outside of the hill of Lascaux, to the barking of the dog had found the opening éboulée of the cave. Once inside, it is total darkness, and then the route begins with discreet lighting, which turns on and off the passage of the tourists, guided by the explanations are deliberately kept to a minimum.

The goal of Lascaux 4 is also to ensure a ” sanctuarisation ” total “ of the historical site, that the flow of tourists and vehicles visiting Lascaux 2, in the immediate vicinity of the cave of original sin, had come to threaten.

Lascaux 2, a fac-simile of 90 % of the frescoes, inaugurated in 1983 following the closure in 1963 of the original cave, as the excitement of the public had degraded, will now be reserved for educational tours.

For the website operator, Sémitour, the goal with this new replica is to attract nearly 400,000 visitors per year, compared to 270 000 per year until then to Lascaux 2. A travelling exhibition, taking up the bulk of the wonders of the cave of périgord, Lascaux 3, complete the device.