The Veyzere Valley

For those of you who want to glimpse the past, I recommend the valley of the Veysere River. Here the spectacular rock formations, the ancient caves and preserved cave drawings will inspire you to see more. I came to it from Cahors, where I had traveled to see nearby Pech Merle just to the east near the Lot River. This 25,000 year old site, very close to the town of Cabarets, has gigantic chambers decorated with mammoths, horses and human figures. There are charming places to stay nearby in St Cirq-Lapopie. Here the town is perched high above the lot and is a photographer’s paradise with its ancient church and timbered buildings that seem to hang from the hills. This is on the easterly road to Figeac, a place that I will never forget. Here among the excellent hotels and restaurants you’ll find a museum and town square dedicated to Champollion, their native son who was responsible for translating the Rosetta Stone. The entire square has a copy of the stone, permanently set on the ground that takes over the entire square. You can walk on it and read the enlarged letters. Closer to Sarlat and to the east, you’ll find Gauffre de Padriac which is one huge crater about 295 feet long. This tourist attraction has ancient elevators to take you down to the bed of an underground river. The boatmen take you for a quiet ride while they entertain you with charming tales and fables. As in many underground sites, you are advised to wear rainproof clothing and rubber boots. It’s also often difficult to breathe when its tourist season and the site is crowded. Another day trip out of Sarlat is a trip north to Lascaux 11. Of the 200 or so caves discovered in Spain and France, Lascaux 11 is one of the most visited even though it is a recreation a few hundred yards from the original. Maybe the fact that it is air cooled and well lit, accounts for its popularity. You will be rewarded in the Hall of Bulls where the friezes are so lifelike. The guides here are knowledgeable without being overly academic. It is smaller than some sites and can be seen in under an hour. The third route from Sarlat is west to Les Eysies-de-Tayac “capital of prehistory.” This is in the Vezere Valley classified by UNESCO as part of the world heritage of humanity. Their policy sets out to bring better awareness of the history of Mankind.   Cro Magnon man Here you will see remnants of the cave dwellers who lived in the region thousands of years ago and a medieval castle, now a museum. There are four major prehistoric sites and some smaller ones all a stone’s throw from the charming village. The downside of the village is the souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels with their prehistoric motif. But it is a good place to take children. The sites are safe and well lit. There are often steep stairs to maneuver so take care. I especially enjoyed the monstrous stalagmites and stalactites created by the dripping water. The town was first visited by prehistoric pioneers in the 19th century. Now the sites are in danger of being polluted by visitors. This accounts for the fact that at Lascaux 11 you are at a visitor friendly recreation. At the north end of town, railway workers in the 19th century discovered three human skeletons that were about 30,000 years old. We now know that the people who lived there so long ago had high foreheads, large brains and were very tall. This type of homo sapiens still live in parts of Southern France today. I especially enjoyed the cave paintings at Grotte de Font-de-Gaume atop a cliff easy to climb at the town’s east end. Other places to visit are the Combarelles farther east and the caves of Grotte du Grand Roc to the north-west.   Les Eyzies today The Veysere has a score of great places to visit and learn. Here are some that I recommend. Bara-Bahau near Le Bugue; open March-Mid November.   Saint Cyr near Les Eysies only recently found; open all year   Comarelles Near Les Eysies; open year round   Rouffignac Cave, 5 miles long; March to Nov.   The National Museum of Prehistory; open years round   For further information about cost and location contact: Comite Departemental Du Tourisme De La Dordogme 25, rue du President Wilson, 24 009 Perigueux Cedex TelL05 53 35 50 24 Web site| www.perigord.tm.fr Note: As a Humanities Professor, this was one of the first places I visited in France. It has always reserved a special interest in me.