La Baume Bonne

Useful Information

Location:	Musée de Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon, Rte de Montmeyan, 04500 Quinson. (43.7001638, 6.0553747)
Open:	Museum: 02-FEB to MAR Tue-Sun 10-18. APR to JUN Tue-Sun 10-19. JUL to AUG daily 10-20. SEP Tue-Sun 10-19. OCT to 15-DEC Tue-Sun 10-18. During School Holidays open on Mondays. Cave: By reservation. [2025]
Fee:	Museum: Adults EUR 8, Children (6-17) EUR 6, Children (0-5) free, Students EUR 6, Unemployed EUR 6, Families (2+2) EUR 22. Cave: By reservation. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=4 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	La Baume Bonne, Musée de Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon, Rte de Montmeyan, 04500 Quinson, Tel: +33-4-92-74-09-59. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

DEC-1946

cave discovered by Bernard Bottet.

Description

La Baume Bonne (The Good Shelter) is actually known as the Museum of Prehistory of the Gorges du Verdon or Musée de Quinson (Quinson Museum). This museum is quite interesting, and it was built right at the famous tourist destination Gorges du Verdon in the village Quinson. The oldest human remains of the Alpes de Haute Provence were so far discovered between Quinson and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. The museum shows the result of twenty years of excavations and research at this site. And of course, the best preserved remains were found in caves and shelters, namely the cave of Saint-Maxime, the Points Rouges burial shelter, Abri Donner, and the Baume Bonne cave. The Baume Bonne cave revealed several successive levels of occupation which date back to the Lower Palaeolithic period and a number of animal bones of ibex, horses, beavers, and others. The museum was created by Professor Henri de Lumley, who wanted to show the discoveries to the public in a single location not far from the archaeological digs. The building was designed by the English architects Foster and Partners. It has become one of France’s major museums of prehistory.

The visit to the museum also includes the visit to the cave known as La Grotte de la Baume Bonne. The entrance is located in the gorge 50 m above the river. From the museum that’s a 2.6 km hike across the hill, so most visitors will skip the cave tour. So one of the 19 topical showrooms contains the reconstruction of the La Baume Bonne cave. Computer-generated graphics explain the development of man.

However, it is nevertheless quite interesting to visit the real cave. Especially as the trail to the cave is a themed trail with various related stops. The trail follows the Verdon from the museum through the prehistoric village, where human dwellings from different periods have been reconstructed. Then the Neolithic garden is reached. The trail becomes a narrow and rocky footpath which winds uphill in serpentines and descends on the other side to the cave entrance. The trail is actually freely accessible so you can do this hike without a guide. But the cave is gated with iron bars, and during the guided tour it may be entered and visited.

Inside the different layers are explained, from the Lower Palaeolithic period at the bottom. Stratum by stratum the development of mankind is shown. In the oldest stratum are piles of sandstone pebbles from the Anteneanderthals. A little higher the first fires can be seen, man learned to control fire. Even higher around 250,000 BP the Levallois technique for knapping stone appears. 130,000 BP there was a time much warmer than today. You see, the remains here are considerably older than most other sites, reaching back probably half a million years.

The younger layers, show neanderthals as well as Cro-Magnon man and Homo sapiens, but also a cave bear who came to the cave for hibernation and died here. Neolithic man left his ceramics, polished tools, grinding basins and rubbing stones. And this is the age of agriculture and settling down, and domesticated animals like sheep and goats. There are remains from th metal ages, the Copper Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Even the foundation of Massalia can be seen by the appearance of Phocaean ceramics.

And then there is a full day of prehistory, the Journée de la Préhistoire (Prehistory Day) which is every year on the 3rd weekend in July. This day is full of experimental archaeology, there are demonstrations of life in the prehistoric village, the creation of tools from flint, the creation of ceramics, decorating, weaving and making fire without matches. Fighting and hunting is explained, for example archery and assegai throwing with a throwing device. A big topic is art in prehistoric times. But the archaeology does not only cover prehistory, the metallurgy of iron is also explained. And there is the possibility to visit the prehistoric cave La Baume Bonne by boat, so it’s not necessary to hike across the hill.

The regular entrance fee to the museum is good for a self-guided tour, and you may stay as long as you want. Additionally, it’s possible to hire a guide or join a guided tour of the museum. And then there is the guided tour to the cave. All those activities must be booked in advance, and there are neither infos on date, nor prices or the languages, it seems you have to check availability by phone. They actually have no online booking for such tours nor suggest contact by email. As the website is bilingual there is a chance that they speak english at the phone.