Grotte de Pair-non-Pair — Attraction in Blaye

A must see if you can make the short journey from Bordeaux.

33,000 year old cave etchings with a guided tour. This was delivered in French, although we were handed a laminated pamphlet in English that contained all of the key information.

The cave itself is relatively small (perhaps 10 meters deep), with only about 10-15 people taking part in the tour. The team delivering this were all friendly and helpful, pointing out the outlines of the etchings with a laser pointer, or by casting shadows with a torch. This took about 45 minutes in total.

It cost about €8 per person, albeit it is disconnected with the City Pass (we had left ours behind! 🤦🏻‍♂️).

It's worth knowing that you have to book in advance over the phone, or by emailing them; details of which are on their website. This is to ensure there is availability on the date and time you wish to visit.

There is ample parking immediately at the venue.

You cannot take photos or use a mobile phone inside the cave.

There is a small visitors centre that you must pass through, this contains some artifacts...

A small but interesting site to visit if you’re in the area. It’s close to Citadel de Blaye and makes a great diversion. The caves themselves are small but fascinating. You can see real carvings of prehistoric animals (not just copies). The staff were friendly and helpful. I had read that the guide only speaks French but our guide gave a very passionate and interesting overview of the caves and their history in English (there were also some leaflets in English to help bring the experience to life). Well...

Jaw dropping piece of human history. 60,000 years of use, with amazing art work and living spaces that really give you an insight into how our ancient ancestors lived through the ice age.

The guide was very kind to summarize the key points in English (but I don't think there's any guarantee of that). They do however have some brochures you can read in English beforehand. Still, knowing some French will definitely help you get the...