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Cosquer, a guided tour of the prehistoric cave just a stone's throw from the Old Port

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  3. Cosquer, a guided tour of the prehistoric cave just a stone’s throw from the Old Port

Just a stone’s throw from the centre of Marseille, you can visit a cave decorated with paintings dating back thousands of years. A magical experience for all the family this summer!

Bison, ibex, seals and even penguins once roamed the creeks around Marseille. Our distant ancestors drew and engraved them on the walls of a cave that is now partly submerged and was rediscovered just a few decades ago. Thanks to science, the cave can now be visited by parents and children alike!

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Virginie Verdi
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A cave occupied for almost 14,000 years

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©réplique grotte Cosquer le 21/5/22(.Photo by Patrick Aventurier)

    33,000 years ago, humans discovered this cave and left traces of their passage here. A succession of prehistoric civilisations engraved, painted and drew hundreds of works: human hands, abstract signs and motifs, marine and terrestrial animals. Thanks to them, we know that horses, bison, aurochs, ibex, deer, seals, penguins and cetaceans lived in Marseille at the time.

    The cave was abandoned 19,000 years ago. The climate gradually warmed, and rising water sealed its entrance 10,000 years ago. Part of the cave was flooded and lost forever, but the sea also protected the remaining works.

    The cave is located in the heart of the Parc National des Calanques, beneath Cap Morgiou, a popular spot for hikers. It bears the name of its discoverer, Henri Cosquer, who revealed its discovery to the world in 1991.

    Cosquer Méditerranée, a unique journey through time

    Cosquer cave @ctomtcm 24Cosquer cave @ctomtcm 24
    ©Cosquer cave @ctomtcm 24
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    ©Grotte Cosquer Joomtcm 11 Rotated
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    ©Cosquer cave @ctomtcm 35 Rotated

      The Cosquer cave is now closed to the public and sealed to preserve its priceless cave paintings. Only a few scientists are allowed access from time to time. The general public can now experience the wonder of this journey into the distant past, just a stone’s throw from the Old Port.

      Located on the J4 esplanade, next to the Mucem, the Villa Méditerranée houses a faithful replica of the Cosquer cave. An immersive visit that puts you in the shoes of the pioneers who first laid eyes on these treasures of the past.

      You begin your experience in the 1980s, at Henri Cosquer’s diving club, before taking a lift that simulates a diving chamber. Arriving at the underwater base, you board an exploration module for an expedition into the heart of the fully-reproduced cave. The Galerie Méditerrannée is a real gateway to the 21st century, recreating scenes from prehistoric life and revealing some of the secrets buried beneath the rocks and waters of the Calanques. Children love it, and will be talking about it for days!

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