Grotte du Lazaret

Useful Information

Location:	33 bis boulevard Franck Pilatte, 06300 Nice (43.690384, 7.294823)
Open:	Visitor Center: JUN to SEP daily 10-18. OCT to MAY daily 10-17. Cave: All year Wed-Sun 10-17:30. Closed 01-JAN, 01-MAY, 25-DEC. [2023]
Fee:	free. Guided Tour: Adults EUR 1.50. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Cave Paleolithic Period
Light:	Incandescent Son et Lumière
Dimension:	L=35 m, W=14 m, A=26 m asl.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	not allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:	Yafit Kedar, Gil Kedar, Ran Barkai (2022): The influence of smoke density on hearth location and activity areas at Lower Paleolithic Lazaret Cave, France In: Scientific Reports. Band 12, Artikel Nr. 1469, 2022. DOI Henry de Lumley (2004): Le sol d’occupation acheuléen de l’unité archéostratigraphique UA 25 de la grotte du Lazaret (Nice, Alpes-Maritimes) Edisud, 2004, ISBN 2-7449-0524-0. Henry de Lumley (2005): La Grotte du Lazaret – Un campement de chasseurs, il y a 160 000 ans Edisud, 2005, ISBN 2-7449-0563-1
Address:	Site préhistorique du Lazaret, 33 bis boulevard Franck Pilatte, 06300 Nice, Tel: +33-4.89.04.36.00. 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

1826	first written mention of the cave by François Emmanuel Fodéré in his work entitled "Voyage aux Alpes-Maritimes".
1842	first excavation by Dr. Alexis Naudot, the Provincial Mineral Water Inspector, presented to the Academy of Sciences in Turin.
1851-1852	excavations by the brothers Frédéric Alexandre and Louis Jacques Le Fèvre.
1950	excavations by Commander François Charles Ernest Octobon.
1962-2014	excavations by Henry de Lumley.
21-MAR-1963	declared a Historic Monument.
2017	opened to the public.

Description

Grotte du Lazaret (Lazaret Cave) is located in the eastern side of the city of Nice. Located at the foot of the western slopes of Mont Boron, 26 m asl, it opens to the southwest. The cave floor is covered by 5.5 m of sediments which are full of archaeological remains and were excavated under the direction of Professor Henry de Lumley of the Académie de Nice. The findings were dated between 235,000 and 120,000 years BP. In other words it was inhabited by Neanderthals ((Homo neanderthalensis).

The cave has electric light and trails, which were originally installed for the excavations. After the end of the excavations in 2014, the cave was transformed into a show cave and opened to the public in 2017. The tours are free, there are educational signs, and there is a small visitor center. There is also a free 20 minute Son-et-Lumiere. It's possible to book a guide for a fee and there are free workshops. Booking through the online booking on their website.