Cave Art
Europe

Cave Art Europe is a small, privately run company which has been organising and leading guided, customised tours to the decorated, Paleolithic caves of France and Spain for over 15 years.

As a result, we have acquired considerable experience and knowledge of the regions concerned, all of which is put to use in providing and managing tours of a highly specialised, archaeological nature for very small groups or private individuals who have a genuine interest in furthering their understanding of Paleolithic cave art.

While the tours have this very clear, prehistoric focus, regional cultures and gastronomy are not neglected and are appreciated and enjoyed wherever and whenever possible. There are a number of set itineraries for potential clients to choose from, but in general we like to work closely with our customers to tailor-make tours to their particular requirements wherever we can.

Typically, Cave Art Europe focuses on the Dordogne region of France and Cantabria in Spain, areas which include World Heritage sites such as Lascaux and Altamira, widely regarded as among the most impressive of their kind in the world. In France we also visit the decorated caves of Rouffignac, Cap Blanc and Font de Gaume among others, while in Spain a tour might take in the caves of Covalanas, Las Monedas and El Castillo. Less frequently visited sites can also be worked into the itinerary, places like the 15,000 year old sculpted frieze at Angles-sur-l'Anglin in France or El Pendo in Spain with its graceful deer paintings. The cities visited can include Bilbao, Bordeaux and Toulouse, all of which offer a rich, cultural experience for the interested traveler, while smaller towns like Angoulême, Santillana del Mar and Ainhoa have their own particular charm and history.

Cave Art Europe also leads Carnac to Stonehenge: the Megaliths of Atlantic Europe, a tour dedicated to the great megalithic monuments of the region, taking in the alignments at Carnac in Brittany, among the most extensive in the world, before continuing to England to visit Stonehenge itself.

While guided visits to archaeological museums in Bordeaux, Les Eyzies and Rennes form an important part of establishing the background to the sites, we also like to diversify where we can and take advantage, for example, of being in Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim Museum, or passing through the Bordeaux region to stop off at a wine producing chateau in the Pomerol or Saint-Émilion areas for a tasting.

Cave Art Europe seeks to place its clients in the most comfortable accommodation available. Hotels and inns are chosen both for their quality and for their location and, as a result, range from 5 star hotels in the cities to more modest but very well positioned hostelries in the smaller towns and villages. When choosing hotels every effort is made to ensure that the highest possible standards of service and cleanliness are delivered to the client in a manner which is both unobtrusive and discreet. Restaurants, too, are selected with similar care.

davidjspencer@gmail.com conchitaburton@hotmail.com @cavearteurope