Tautavel and the prehistory

Come
to discover the
history
of
humanity

Major place of prehistory, the village of Tautavel lies at an hour's drive from Argelès sur Mer and the campsites of the Sirène Holidays group. The international reputation of this municipality comes from the Caune de l'Arago, also known as the Tautavel Cave. Since 1963, this cave is the subject of fastidious archaeological digs. Excavations which led the team of Professor Henry de Lumley in 1971 to exhume fragments of a human skull dating back 350 000 years.

More than a hundred other human fossils have since been found and other archaeological remains found in the Tautavel Cave have not only allowed to reconstruct the life and environment of the Homo heidelbergensis (or Tautavel man), but also to determine that the Caune de l'Arago was already frequented by nomads 690 000 to 60 000 years before our era.

To learn more about the oldest human remains discovered in France and the other remains of the cave, go to the Museum of Tautavel - European Centre of Prehistory. This museum traces the history of humanity in Europe thanks to one of the richest collections of prehistoric objects on the continent, most of these come from the Tautavel region.

Good to know:

- Situated at 45 minutes from Argelès sur Mer

- Duration of the visit: minimum one and a half hour.

Museum rates: from €4 to €8 (free for children under 7 years)

Contact details:

Tel.: + 33 (0) 4 68 29 07 76

Address: Avenue Léon-Jean-Grégory

66720 TAUTAVEL