Images of the Ice Age
Rock Art of the Palaeolithic Tour
4th to the 17th June 2009
Arrival: Bilbao International Airport – Thursday 4th June 2009
Guests arrive during the course of the day at Bilbao Airport, the largest of the Basque cities, surrounded by high bare hills. Remainder of day is free at our hotel, or to explore part of the Olde Town, the Casco Viego.
The parallel Siete Calles (7 streets) are the oldest part of the town with many bars, dozens of quaint shops, and attractive architecture where you may wander about the atmospheric streets at leisure. The true spirit of this area emerges towards sunset when locals invade the olde town, strolling the streets, listening to music, or sipping wine in the setting sun.
The most significant site of this area is the Basilica de Begona. Sitting atop a steep hill above the Casco Viego, Bilbao’s most important church is built in Gothic style, upon the site of a chapel where the Virgin is said to have appeared in former times, and is worth a visit.
Lunch will be at a resturant/bar of your choice Own Account
Dinner: Hotel Duesto
Hotel: Hotel Deusto ***
Day 1 – Friday 5th June 2009: Santillana del Mar
We are transported to Santillana del Mar. Santillana is one of the prettiest towns in Spain 
with its conglomeration of 15th to 17th century golden-coloured houses. The town initially grew up around a monastery, the Romanesque La Colegiata, once an important pilgrimage centre.
En route we will visit the Cave of El Pendo.
El Pendo was first excavated in the 1870’s, but its art was only discovered in 1907 and 1908, engravings of two birds, possibly great auks. Although these figures are much deteriorated and cannot be seen during a normal visit there is a panel of painted figures only discovered in 1997.
This 8.8 metre long frieze is on a broad rock within the main chamber, within the dark zone. The scene comprises 8 or 9 hinds all drawn in red except for one in yellow ochre. There are also a horse, a goat, some headless animals, signs and dots. Drawn in the Covalanas style, the paintings can be dated to around 20 000– 19 000 years ago.
The scene seems to be centred on a large hind opposite the horse, with other hinds distributed around them. When illuminated, it would have visible from all parts of the main chamber, and uch could have been painted while standing on the boulders below, although some of it would have definitely required scaffolding.
Excavations indicate that the archaeological sequence in the cave dates from the Middle Palaeolithic to the end of the Ice Age. These excavations yielded a wealth of Magdalanian portable art in bone and antler, now housed in Santander Museum and Altimira Museum.
Lunch will be in a coffee shop or bar of your own choice Own Account
Dinner: Hotel Parador
Hotel: Parador, Santillana del Mar ***
Day 2 – Saturday 6th June 2009 : Caves of Altamira, El Castillo and Las Monedas (Santillana del Mar)
This morning we visit the world-renowned cave of Altamira. This cave contains some of the world’s finest examples of prehistoric rock art, in this instance dating from the European Ice Age. The earliest engravings and drawings in this cave date from 18 000 BC. The public is no longer permitted into the actual Altamira Cave although an on site museum contains a replica of the caves. This is an outstanding display, and in some ways, outdoes the original art. It is well-worth 
seeing.
Lunch: Guests will be able to choose a restaurant of their choice after wandering down into Santillana del Mar from the site of Altimira Own Account.
During the course of the afternoon we visit two other caves, El Castillo and Las Monedas.
Las Monedas is located on the same hill as El Castillo, as well as the two other decorated caves of La Pasiega and Las Chimeneas. Found on the floor of Las Monedas were cave-bear bones, and later some 15th century coins. The art in the 
cave is located quite close to the present entrance. This cave also has remarkable flat ceilings, magnificent concretions including huge discs and an unusual spiraling stalagmite, not to forget its spectacular mineral colours.
One large chamber contains a number of notable features, such as a huge hole in which cave-bear bones were found, together with a flint tool from Neanderthal times. There are also river cobbles still pinned to the high walls by fossilized mud.
Along a passage there is a deep shaft down which some 15th century visitor deposited, or lost teir purse which contained 23 silver and copper coins from the time of the Catholic Kings.
The art of Las Monedas is extremely homogenous, most likely produced quite 
quickly by one person. Included are abstract marks as well as depictions of animals. Most famous of these are horses and reindeers, one particular reindeer being one of the best we have of this animal in Ice Age cave art. Other animals include ibex, a canid, and bison.
The black drawings at Las Monedas have been dated by raqdiocarbon to about 12 000 years ago, the end of the Magdalanian period.
El Castillo, along with other decorated caves such as La Pasiega, Las Monedas and Las 
Chimeneas is located on a conical hill overlooking the village of Puente Viesgo, in Santander, Northern Spain.
The cave mouth of El Castillo initially contained 20 m of archaeological deposit from which came a major collection of Palaeolithic engravings on deer shoulder-blades which are now housed in Madrid’s Museo Arqueologico Nacional.
Although only about 164 m in length, the cave contains around 1 km of artistic galleries which can be divided into two main parts. The first comprises a large initial chamber (the 'Gran Sala', 30 m by 25 m) with side passages, the second a series of corridors and galleries. These two parts are separated by an enormous chaos of large blocks, which, in prehistoric times, left only two narrow, difficult passages to link them.
Since the deposits at the cave's e
ntry span the entire Palaeolithic, scholars believe that the art is quite heterogeneous, belonging to a number of different phases, and making this a 'multiple sanctuary'. For example, the cave's 155 animal figures have been shared out among all the cultures from the Aurignacian to the Upper Magdalenian.
The cave's art includes engravings and drawings of bovids, horses, ibex and deer; some figures are black, others red (the two colours are used in different parts of the cave. Among the cave's most famous figures are a mammoth in red outline, a bison drawn vertically to incorporate the natural shape of a stalagmite for it
s back, tail and hind-leg, numerous dots and signs grouped in a special alcove.
The cave is so large and its art so abundant that only a fraction can be seen during a normal visit. One begins to the right of the entrance chamber where, halfway down a staircase, one finds a great decorated panel. And, at the foot of these dark stairs, on the right, is a major collection of hand stencils on the ceiling of an alcove, as well as two bison figures and, on the wall, some strange geometric signs. As one proceeds the cave presents an astonishing series of Ice Age animals and geometric shapes, painted stalagmites, painted tunnels and chambers.
Dinner: Hotel Parador
Hotel: Parador ***
Day 3 – Sunday 7th June 2009: Santillana Del Mar
Guests are free for a full day exploration and appreciation of this incredible medieval village.
Lunch: Santillana coffee shop or bar Own Account
Dinner: Hotel Parador
Hotel: Parador ***
Day 4 -- Monday 8th June 2009: Santander; Bilbao
This morning we leave lovely Santillana and head back to Bilbao. En route we spend the morning in Santander. Guests are free to sxplore the town or swim in one of the quieter beaches. The museum Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia houses artifacts from caves in the area. During the course of the morning we will also take part in a one hour tour of the bay by boat.
Lunch will be in a café/restaurant in Santander Own Account.
During the course of the afternoon we embark upon a tour of the Old Town of Bilbao
Dinner this evening will be at our hotel.
Hotel: Hotel Duesto ***
Day 5 – Tuesday 9th June 2009: Bayonne; Bordeaux
We leave Spain this morning for France. We stop for a while in Bayonne, capital 
of the French Basque Country. This town lies at the confluence of the turbulent Nive River, which tumbles straight from the mountains, and the wide and placid Adour River.
Bayonne has been an important town since Roman times as it is lies on one of the easily passable roads to Spain. Here we are free to explore Grand Bayonne, or the old town, and visit the 13th century Cathedrale St Marie with its handsome cloister and 15thcentury knocker on the north door. Legend has it that if a fugitive could lay his hands on the knocker then he was entitled to sanctuary.
Around the Cathedral are pedestrianised streets which invite exploration of the many shops, including the arcaded Rue de Neuf with many cafes serving hot chocolate, a Bayonne speciality. Chocolate was introduced into Bayonne by Jewish people who fled from Spain at the end of the 15th century, and has remained a speciality ever since. Bayonne is also famous for its ham, and is the place in which the bayonet was developed.
Lunch: We are free to wander at will and lunch in a café that takes our individual fancy Own Account.
After lunch we drive to Bordeaux. Here we will once again enjoy a tour of the old
city by a local guide.
Lying on the River Garonne , this city has been a major port since pre-Roman times. It is the fifth largest town in France with an industrial maritime sprawl that surrounds an 18th century centre.
Dinner will be in our hotel.
Hotel: Burdigala Hotel
Day 6 – Wednesday 10th June 2009: Bordeaux, Museum of Aquitaine; Cave of Pair-non-Pair; Dordogne
This morning we will visit the Musee d'Aquitaine. This museum traces life
in the region from the prehistoric until the present. Among its star
displays are the "Venus" of Laussel, one of the most famous and iconic Ice
Age carvings; the Tayac treasure from the 2nd century BC, and the Garonne
treasure, a hoard of over 4000 Roman coins.
Lunch will be in a Bordeaux restaurant Own Account
After lunch we will drive to the Cave of Pair-non-Pair, where our
specialist guide Paul Bahn will present the engravings in this, one of the
first Ice Age decorated caves to be discovered.
From here we will drive through world-famous wine country to the mecca of
French prehistory, the Dordogne Valley, where we will be staying in the
gorgeous village of Les Eyzies.
Dinner will be in our hotel this evening.
Hotel: Hotel Moulin de la Beune ***
Day 7 – Thursday 11th June 2009: Bordeaux; Font de Gaume; Las Combarelles; Cap Blanc; Dordogne
Today we visit three caves, namely Font de Gaume, Las Combadrelles and Cap Blanc, each one fascinating and unique in its own way.
Lunch: will be in Les Ezies at a venue of your own choice Own Account
Dinner: Hotel Moulin de la Beune
Hotel: Moulin de la Beune ***
Day 8 -- Friday 12th June: Dordogne; Abri Pataud; National Museum of Prehistory
This morning we amble up to the Cave of Abri Pataud. This Cave has an interesting history. From 1958 to 1964, a major excavation took place in the huge abri Pataud, directed by Professor Hallam Movius of Harvard University.
Active research still continues today on the more than 1.5 million finds unearthed more than forty years ago. Only about one tenth of the site was 
excavated, so much remains here for future generations. The stratigraphy is more than 9 m in height, and contains a succession of occupation layers. It was found that this great shelter had been occupied through a long span of the Upper Palaeolithic, from about 35,000 to 20,000 years ago.
Fragments of rock found in each layer showed that the shelter had always been decorated -- with painting and engraving. None of this art now survives in situ, but the site is well worth a visit, not only as a fine example of a major palaeolithic excavation, but also for the sculpted blocks which can still be seen, and especially for the small museum next door.
During the excavations, the HQ was the old farmhouse of the Pataud family (now the ticket office), while the tools and finds were stored in the “Cave Pataud”, an old building next to the farmhouse, comprising a facade built onto the front of a small shelter, where the Pataud family used to keep their tools too. In the 1980s, the decision was taken to clean up the abri Pataud to present its excavations to the public. and to transform the old store into a finds museum. During the preparation of the small shelter, in 1986, it was suddenly noticed that there was a bas-relief sculpture of an ibex on its ceiling, just inside the entrance to the left. Most of the rest of the ceiling is badly eroded, but this spot has miraculously survived -- suggesting that the whole of the shelter’s ceiling may once have been sculpted and painted. This sculpture is admirably presented by means of a mirror and a drawing, to save one’s neck muscles. Its style has led specialists to assign it to the Solutrean period, around 20,000 years ago.
The museum is important for its displays of material from the Pataud excavations -- pollen, animal bones, stone tools, and human remains, as well as a statue of a reconstruction of a 16
-year-old girl whose skeleton was found at the back of the site together with her newborn child. However, perhaps the most interesting exhibits are engraved blocks from the site, as well as the original Pataud “Venus”, an unusual carving of a slender female on a small stone block; some decorated fallen fragments of the great shelter’s wall and ceiling; lots of jewellery and some incredibly tiny perforated bone beads, and a couple of small pebbles bearing fine engravings (Paul Bahn).
This morning we embark upon a tour of the National Museum of Prehistory. (closed on Tuesday).
Lunch will be in Les Eyzies Own Account
During the course of the afternoon we drive to the Cave of Cougnac.
Cougnac is one of the most beautiful decorated caves, with countless stalagmites and stalacites; the impressive prehistoric paintings include the extinct giant deer, ibex and some hum
anoid figures
We travel back to Les Eyzies for dinner in our hotel.
Hotel: Hotel Moulin de la Beune ***
Day 9 -- Saturday 13th June 2009: Sarlat; Rouffignac Cave; Lascaux II
This morning, being a Saturday we visit the Sarlat Market. Surrounded by hills under wheat and maize, Sarlat is a picturesque, beautifully-preserved medieval town. In fact, it possesses the highest concentration of medieval, Renaissance and 17th century facades of any French town.
Among its 
picture-postcard streets, on Saturday’s is the local market. You may spend the morning haggling over memorabilia and souveniers for your trip, or just take it all in.
For those who have done their thing at the market you may wander through Sarlat’s golden-stone streets, narrow lanes and archways, among the ochre-hued, richly decorated, stone houses, and immerse yourself in the character of a France that once was.
Lunch will be at Les Ezies, at a venue of your own choice Own Account.
After lunch we explore Rouffignac Cave.
First discovered in the 16th century Rouffignac Cave was only partly exploited by Magdelanian people. Its huge network of underground caves extends over 10 kilometres in length on three levels. This makes it unique among other decorated caves and a treat for visitors who traverse its sticky floors in an electric
train.
Depictions of mammoth predominate at Rouffignac. The art of Rouffignac seems to be placed far removed from entrances and habitation areas.
There are some 250 figures engraved or drawn in black manganese , 60% of which are mammoths (about 160 of them), some 88 wooly rhinoceros, but also bison, horses and ibex. There are also some anthropomorphic figures and signs. All decoration appears to have been created around 13 00 to 14 000 BP.
This predominance of the mammoth is rather remarkable as the numbers at Rouffignac comprise about 
one third of all mamot depictions known in cave art with more than 500 figures in 46 caves.
Occupation appears to be of the Magdelanian and Iron Age periods, while the art itself dates from the Middle Magdelanian. Cave bears too used this cave as a haven for hibernation, based upon evidence for their distinct presence in the cave.
Finally, after some while on our train journey, the train stops and one moves forward a
few metres on foot to see the famous ceiling of Rouffignac, covered in sixty-five large black drawings of horses, bison, mammoths, and no less than twelve ibex, the only ones depicted in the whole cave. These figures swirl around in all directions above one’s head, around the edge of a broad natural shaft.. The floor has also been lowered here to enable visitors to stand and walk in comfort -- the original artist(s) had less than a metre of space to crawl around in, so could not see the large animal figures easily, let alone the whole composition. One then returns to the train which heads back to the entrance by the same track.
This morning we visit the cave of Lascaux II located on a hill some 2 km south east of the town of Montignac- sur-Vezere. Lascaux II was developed in response to the enormous volume of visitors to Lascaux Cave, the most famous painted cave of all. These millions of people caused biological contamination to the cave and its paintings which led to its being closed to the public.
The replica involved 10 years work and the result is well-worth a visit, including the Hall of Bulls and Axial Gallery.
Dinner: Hotel Moulin de la Beune
Hotel: Hotel Moulin de la Beune ***
Day 10 – Sunday 14th June 2009: Rocamadour
This morning we take leave of Les Eyzies and travel to the ancient centre of Christian pilgrimage, Rocamadour. Situated upon a rocky plateau above the Alzou Valley, the views are magnificent.
The town itself is a cluster of medieval houses, towers and battlements, seemingly sprouting from the very base of the cliff. Built on many levels, hugging the cliff face, the town comprises, many stairways, chapels, shrines, and a castle. This is a place out of this modern life where one can completely loose oneself in a forgotten world.
Guests are free to explore the town at their will for the day, most particularly the Cite Religeuse.
Lunch will be in town Own Account
Dinner: At our Hotel
Hotel: Hotel Troubadour ***
Day 11 – Monday 15th June 2009: Cave of Peche Merle; Foix
After lunch we continue to drive to the impressive rock formations of the Cave of Peche Merle. This 25 000 year old site outside of Cabrerets has huge chambers decorated with paintings of mammoths, horses, bison and human figures.
Lunch will be in Cabrerets/Peche Merle Cafe Own Account
After our visit to the cave we drive to the village of Foix in the Pyranees where we will be spending the night.
Dinner: Hotel Lons
Hotel: Hotel Lons ***
Day 12 – Tuesday 16th June 2009: Cave of Niaux; Grotte de Bedeilhac, Pyr
enees
This morning among the natural splendour of the Pyrenees we explore the Cave of Niaux.
Lunch will be in Niaux village Own Account
After lunch we will visit the enormous cave of Bedheihac which functioned as a air base during the Second World War. So immense is the cave that planes could fly directly into its mouth.
Dinner: Hotel Lons
Hotel: Hotel Lons ***
Hotel: Crowne Plaza/Hotel Albert 1er/Hotel Jean-Mermoz
Day 13 – Wednesday 17th 2009: Departure
Guests depart from Toulouse Airport
Bookings for this tour close on the 9th February 2009
15% non-refundable booking fee payable by the 12th February 2009
Full Payment for tour payable by the 12th March 2009
Approximate Cost of Tour: € 3, 187.00 per person single (excluding airfares). (2008) . Approximate cost of 2009 tour € 4, 159
: € 2,815.00 per person sharing (excluding airfares) (2008) . Approximate cost of 2009 tour € 3, 097
Price subject to small changes according to circumstances
Please note that this tour plan is subject to change slightly according to situational circumstance
All guests are required to be fully mobile and in reasonable health.
