What is the temperature inside the Pech Merle cave?

Why 12°C, and why always?

A deep cave takes on the location’s average annual temperature because the rock evens everything out: about fifty metres beneath the causse, the bear gallery has no idea it’s 35°C outside, nor that it’s freezing. In the Lot, this average hovers around 12°C. The humidity comes from water seeping through the limestone, the same water that created the discs, cave pearls, and the spinning top described in what to see in the cave. It’s this stability that has preserved the paintings for 29,000 years, and it’s to protect them that access is limited to 700 people per day.

What to expect over an hour

Twelve degrees isn’t exactly mountain weather. But we walk slowly, stop often, the air is saturated, and we don’t generate much heat. Around the fortieth minute, people in T-shirts start crossing their arms. Children feel the cold before adults do. In summer, the shock of returning to the car park is just as noticeable in the opposite direction.

Practical information

A jacket or fleece, trousers, closed shoes with non-slip soles because the humidity makes the floor slippery in places. Put on your jacket before the stairs. Everything is detailed in what to wear. The cave is open from late February to early November; in winter, it’s closed, and in any case, the temperature below would be the same.

Frequently asked questions