I'm into the detailed planning stage of my May trip to the Dordogne. I thank the many replies I received in getting this far.

Can someone tell me how to make reservations for Font-de-Gaume? Is there a web site? Do you just request a day and an English tour and hope for the best? I can't seem to find a specific site for making reservations.

And as for Lascaux II, I've read that you must arrive in Montignac at 9 AM and wait until noon for an English tour. Can you reserve ahead at Lascaux II?
thank you

I phoned directly, from the Rick Steves guidebook information: 011+33+5+53+06+86+00 and requested the date and time- then the operator made the suggestion for the English tour in the process of listening to me try to ask in French! I don't have the hours handy but that was in the book as well and I think I recall a Website. (I don't have information for Lascaux II, sorry!) I don't think you will have the crowd problems in May that I will in July. Isn't it exciting?! Have a great trip...

Hi T,

See
http://tinyurl.com/yukpyb

There is also a link to Lascaux.

>Can you reserve ahead at Lascaux II?

Yes.

Hi Travelbug,

On the advice of St. Cirq and others, I called Font-de-Gaume directly and requested an English-speaking tour. The person who answered spoke English and I received a faxed confirmation.

Hi travelbug

I reserved for Font de Gaume with the following email address:
[email protected]

I orginally communicated in English trying to reserve an English tour for May 24th. I gather they don't have any English tours at that time but I did get an adobe pdf confirmation of a tour on that date without advance payment. It requires me to reconfirm the reservation 48 hours prior to the tour by phone.

I also sent an email message to Lascaux II and got a message back that I can book in advance for an additional euro per person secured by credit card...and I would get a prepaid voucher which is to be exchanged at least 15 minutes prior to the tour. I sent my credit card details but almost a week has passed and I have not received a confirmation.
The email is:
[email protected]

Do we need to reserve ahead for tours at Lascaux the first week in May or wait until we arrive at our hotel in Sarlat and book it then.
How about Font de Gaume? Does anyone know what day and time the tours in English would be in May?

We were there May 2006 and were able to book Lascaux by going to the tourist office in Montignac on the day of the tour.
Font de Gaume we had our hotel phone and they made reservations for an English tour a few days hence.
Of course... that was then...

I believe since Lascaux II is a reproduction and there are several English tours a day that you could reserve once you arrive to Sarlat.

I'm not so sure about Font-de-Gaume as they limit admission to a couple hundred people per day. They are apparently going to close this cave to public sometime in the not so distance future as it is deteriorating. I asked for an English tour and they replied with a tour time of 11:00am. The confirmation does not say that it is an English tour booked and I have heard elsewhere that they don't run English tours in off season. I'm not 100 percent sure so I'm not counting on it and will be pleasantly surprised if the tour is in English.

Crazy - not that it means anything but the English tour was 11 when we were there last year.

Lascaux II has a fair number of English tours per day, at least in high season (which May is approaching), but I'd still book in advance.

Font-de-Gaume has no discernible pattern for English-language tours, and I've booked them two or three times and showed up only to find that there wasn't actually and English-speaking guide available and had to translate for my groups. The pattern that seems to have emerged in my experience is that during the summer they usually have a student or two who speaks English, but in the off-season there's often no English guide. At any rate, I'd definitely book Font-de-Gaume in advance and request, but not expect, an English tour.

It's a good idea to request that they send confirmation by fax or email (they seem to prefer fax), so you can show up with proof of reservation in hand.

I need to bookmark this.

thanks for the good information; we will call to reserve.

Hi-

I am going to the region in May & my cousin who speaks the language called in our reservations at Font De Gaume. It seemed to her that there were not many choices as she went over the days we were hoping to go into the cave with the person making the reservations. I would call/book as soon as possible.

Font de Gaume's website is http://www.leseyzies.com/grottes-ornees/index.htm
If you're really interested in the caves, the best guide is Cadogan's Dordogne, Lot & Bordeaux... the authors actually live in the region so they know.

hi, travelbug,

we just turned up at Lascaux 11 on a mid-week day in the easter hols and had to wait about 30 mins for the next english tour. [this was 5 years ago, mind].

in term-time ie May, there should be no problem at all.

if you are in Sarlat, you could book in advance at the tourist board office, but I seem to remember there was something funny like not being able to book for that day. [this may not be accurate, just something i have [mis]remembered.

after the visit, we broke our own rule, and followed the directions on a flyer picked up from an aged gent in the car park, which sent us to a local hotel/restaurant. [out of car-park, turn left].. This turned out to be a very nice place with a lovely lunch.

regards, ann