The Caverne du Pont-d'Arc, Chauvet 2, is a replica of the
Chauvet Cave
The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave ( ) in the Ardèche department of southeastern France is a cave that contains some of the best-preserved figurative cave paintings in the world, as well as other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life.Clottes (2003b), p. ...
in the
commune of
Vallon-Pont-d'Arc
Vallon-Pont-d'Arc (; ) is a village in southern France in the Ardèche Department.
The village is a gateway to one of the most beautiful tourist sites in France, the Ardèche Gorges, where the Ardèche river has carved a dramatic canyon thro ...
, in the
department of
Ardèche
Ardèche (; , ; ) is a Departments of France, department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche (river), Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.[Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes () was an administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it is part of the new region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It is located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the river Rhône a ...]
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. Construction began in October 2012 and it was opened to the public in 2015.
Description
The creation of the Caverne du Pont-d'Arc is a project which is cultural, scientific and technological, unique in its design and in its size ( on the ground and of geological facies - floors, walls and ceilings) making it the largest decorated replica cavern in the world.
Access and Admission
Visits to the replica of the cave are only possible in guided groups. Time-bound tickets are sold for this purpose. Groups of about 25 people are admitted at intervals and complete the guided tour in French, English, German or Dutch in about 50 minutes. Audio guides in 10 languages are available for visitors speaking other languages.
Visitors can enter all other facilities of the complex free of charge.
References
External links
Official site
Show caves in France
Buildings and structures in Ardèche
Tourist attractions in Ardèche
{{Ardèche-geo-stub