France: Grotte Chauvet

Grotte Chauvet is one of the most famous prehistoric caves in the world, famous for some of the world’s best-preserved and earliest cave paintings, dating back to around 30,000–36,000 years ago. There are over 1,000 painted and carved images, including vivid depictions of lions, rhinos, horses, and mammoths in scenes of hunting, running, and fighting. The cave and its treasures were only discovered in 1994. The original Grotte Chauvet is closed to the public to preserve its fragile contents – no visitors are allowed inside to prevent damage from humidity and carbon dioxide. Instead, the French built an exact replica – Grotte Chauvet II – that opened in 2015 and faithfully recreated the original’s layout, paintings, and atmosphere. Expect massive lines to get in. It’s a UNESCO world Heritage site.