Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley

Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural, inscribed in 1979 (WHS 85).

Criteria & Perimeter

Inscription criteria

(i)(iii)

Summary

The Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic and 25 decorated caves. It is particularly interesting from an ethnological and anthropological, as well as an aesthetic point of view because of its cave paintings, especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality.

Monuments in the Zone

Selection of protected monuments

Maison de Loches — Loches
Château du Clos-Lucé de Amboise — Amboise
Motte féodale dénommée La Butte Noire — Bougy-lez-Neuville
Cathédrale de la Trinité — Laval
Château du Lac de Réaumur — Réaumur
Maison de Nogent-le-Rotrou — Nogent-le-Rotrou
Château de l'Escoublère et son puits — Daon
Eglise de Thorigné-d'Anjou — Thorigné-d'Anjou
Croix dite de Boëssé de Yvré-l'Evêque — Yvré-l'Evêque
Ancien hôtel du Doyenné de Saint-Gatien — Tours
Eglise de Foussais-Payré — Foussais-Payré
Tour à plomb de Couëron — Couëron
Maison de Montsoreau — Montsoreau
Maison Feuillette et ses dépendances — Montargis
Fontaine dite de Bourdaloue — Bourges

Appellations of the Landscape

Most-reviewed Loire appellations

Appellation	Avg score	Reviews	Color
Sancerre	89.3	554	White
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine	88.6	237	White
Pouilly-Fumé	89.6	153	White
Vouvray	88.4	153	White
Touraine	86.3	85	White
Chinon	88.7	72	Red
Menetou-Salon	87.3	69	White
Crémant de Loire	87.5	54	Sparkling
Val de Loire	85.6	41	White
Saumur	88.4	40	White
Anjou	87.6	36	White
Rosé d'Anjou	84	35	Rosé

Data source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (data.culture.gouv.fr). Last updated: April 14, 2026.