What to wear for your visit to the Pech Merle cave

Is it cold in the cave?

Yes, or rather: it’s the same temperature inside as it is outside in winter, all year round. 12°C is bearable for ten minutes in a T-shirt. After forty minutes without moving much, in the humidity, it’s no longer the case. The contrast is harshest in summer, when you descend from 30°C in the car park. I’ve seen people come out with blue lips because they left their jumper in the boot. The physics behind this is explained in the cave’s temperature.

What I wear, in order of importance

• Closed shoes with grippy soles. Trainers or low hiking shoes. No flip-flops, no sandals, no heels: the route covers 1,200 m with stairs and damp sections. The Prehistory Centre requires this, and they’re right.
• A jacket or fleece, to put on before going down, not when you’re already cold.
• Trousers rather than shorts, for the same reason.
• Nothing in your hands. No bulky bags, no walking sticks, no umbrellas. You walk in groups of 25 through wide galleries, but you stop often and gather closely in front of the panels.

What we leave for the car

Cameras and tripods. Photography and video recording are prohibited in the cave, even without flash, to protect the pigments from light and to keep the group moving. Phones must stay in your pocket. Pets are not allowed either, even small ones, even if carried.

Picnics are also an option, but there’s a designated outdoor area with toilets and a refreshment stand for afterwards.

With children

Children get cold faster than we do and say so later. One extra layer for them, a light hat for little ones, and shoes that stay on their feet. The cave is not recommended for children under three; for a baby, a baby carrier rather than a stroller, which won’t fit on the stairs. More of my tips are in visiting with children.

On a day trip

The issue with the cave + Saint-Cirq-Lapopie day trip is that it starts at 12°C and ends under the sun on the causse. The solution is simple: layers. A T-shirt, fleece, and light jacket in the morning; remove them as you go. Saint-Cirq is visited on a slope, over cobblestones, and the towpath in Bouziès is flat but uneven: the same closed shoes work for all three. Bring water and a cap for the afternoon; the operator provides neither.

Frequently asked questions