Mas-d'Azil cave

The Mas-d'Azil cave, a geological curiosity and a giant of prehistory! Let yourself be carried away by the magic of the place... The immensity of its cavities, the modern lighting and the prehistoric remains it conceals are all marvels that we invite you to discover!

Your visit takes place in three stages:
Upon your arrival, the interpretation center allows you to discover the life of the first men who occupied the site. Then go for 1 hour guided tour which will make you relive the excavations of archaeologists through their discoveries. Finally at 1,5 km, with the same ticket, the prehistory museum of Mas-d'Azil (closed until March 31 inclusive), will complete your visit with the presentation of a rich collection of prehistoric objects from the cave.

An exceptional site

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1942, the Grotte du Mas-d'Azil is recognized as an exceptional site for its impressive geology and its archaeological fame.

Located upstream of the village, the Grotte du Mas-d'Azil is above all an exceptional site with a majestic porch 70 meters high, a road and a river that cross it. But, it is also an extraordinary site for the treasures it has delivered. Its archaeological fame makes it one of the major sites which even gave its name to a period of Prehistory: the Azilian.

Always inhabited, the cave of Mas-d'Azil amazes and fascinates young and old. The animal bones (woolly mammoth, rhinoceros, cave bears, etc.) resting within it are proof that they were the first occupants of the place. 

Our Cro-Magnon ancestors settled there later, making this place an essential site of Prehistory. They lived there, produced art on the walls (in galleries inaccessible today) or on objects as evidenced by the rich collection visible at the Museum.

a fun & digital journey

Before visiting the cave, the interpretation center allows you to get to know its first inhabitants, the animals, and with the prehistoric men who succeeded them, 35 years ago. Facsimile of an ornate gallery, models of the galleries, the work of the excavators, this fun and digital center offers a foretaste of what awaits you during the visit.

Several themes are discussed:

• the geology and formation of the cave with an interactive 3D model.
• paleontology with the presentation of the first inhabitants of the cave, the animals, the most emblematic of which is the cave bear.
• Prehistory through the attested presence of several cultures: the Aurignacian, the Magdalenian and the Azilian.
• prehistoric art with a facsimile (reproduction of an element of historical value identical to the original) reproducing an adorned gallery of the Mas-d'Azil today inaccessible for reasons of conservation and access.
• the history of the site with an evocation of the episode of the siege of the Grotto by Richelieu.
• the excavations of the very first archaeologists as well as explanations of the importance of the Grotte du Mas-d'Azil during the Wars of Religion.
• a model of the various excavations of the Grotto and thus truly apprehend its geological formation.

The Prehistory Museum (closed until March 31, 2024 inclusive)

Located in the village 1,5 km from the Grotto, the Museum of Prehistory allows you to discover modernism and the know-how of its occupants through their remains, some of which are of great technical and artistic prowess.

The museum visit presents weapons, tools, sculpted, engraved and decorated objects of art, as well as the famous painted pebbles, emblems of Azilian civilization. 

You will discover exceptional works, perforated washers, cut out contours, harpoons, ornaments, an unusual sperm whale tooth carved with ibex ... and among them, the most notable reproduction of the ornate propellant named "fawn with birds", considered one of the chiefs work of Paleolithic art.

Another highlight of the visit is a human skull, the only one dating from prehistoric times discovered to date in one of the decorated galleries of the Grotto. This Homo Sapiens skull, more than 13 years old, is that of a young girl aged 000-16 called "Magda" by archaeologists.

The museum also offers a discovery of the inaccessible ornate galleries of the Grotto with the reproduction of prehistoric paintings and engravings.

Tickets

• Reservation strongly recommended
• Online ticket office accessible 24 hours a day
• Last visit 1 hour before site closing
• Entrance ticket includes: cave / interpretation center / museum (located in the village)

Reservation highly recommended.

By car : from Toulouse, take the A64 / E80 / E9 “La Pyrénéènne”. Exit 27 Carbonne.
Go through the villages of Carbonne, Rieux-Volvestre, Montesquieu Volvestre, Daumazan-sur-Arize and follow the signs indicating Le Mas-d'Azil. Cross the village to arrive at the cave. The museum is located in the village opposite the church.

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