[1] Pech Merle is a French hillside cave at Cabrerets, in the Lot département of the Occitania region, about 32 kilometres (19.88 miles) east of Cahors, by road.

Encompassing two levels and spanning over 2 km (1.24 mi) in area—of which only 1,200 m (3,900 ft) are open to the public[2]—are caverns, wells and sloping tunnels, the walls of which are painted with dramatic, prehistoric murals dating from the Gravettian culture (some 25,000 years BC).

Like other children of the area, these three had been encouraged and assisted in their exploration by Father Amedee Lemozi, the curate of Cabrerets and an amateur archaeologist, who had discovered other cave paintings in the region.

During the Ice Age, the caves were very likely used as places of refuge by prehistoric peoples, as the area had a distinctly more arctic, frigid climate, with harsh winters and more plentiful, larger animal species than those of modern-day France.

[11] Visiting groups are limited in size and number so as not to destroy the delicate artwork with the excessive humidity, heat and carbon dioxide produced by breathing.