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Voykit pocket guide · France
Montignac
One full day for Lascaux IV and the town; two if you add canoeing or a château. Skip if you have only a morning — the cave visit alone takes 2–3 hours.
Montignac is the gateway to Lascaux, the world-famous prehistoric cave complex. The town itself is a compact medieval centre on the Vézère River, with a market, restaurants and canoe hire. Most travellers come for the replica cave (Lascaux IV) and leave the same day, but an overnight lets you explore the valley at a relaxed pace.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–June, September
- Avoid
- July–August (crowded, hot), November–February (many places closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €1.50–3.00 |
| Lunch menu (plat + drink) | €14–20 |
| Dinner (three courses) | €25–40 |
| Beer (draught) | €5–7 |
| Bottle of Bergerac wine | €8–15 |
| Lascaux IV ticket (adult) | €22 (check) |
| Canoe hire (half-day) | €25–35 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BVE · Brive–Souillac
- About 50 km (31 mi); car or taxi neededAbout 31 mi (50 km); car or taxi needed
- BOD · Bordeaux–Mérignac
- About 2 h 15 min by car
Typical fares
- Taxi from Brive airport to Montignac
- about €70–90 (check)
- Car park in town (all day)
- €5–10
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable town. For Lascaux IV, a 15-min walk or 5-min drive. A car is useful for visiting other valley sites.
See and do
Known for
- Lascaux IV – International Centre for Cave Art
- Vézère Valley (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Saturday market
- Canoeing on the Vézère
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sarlat-la-Canéda | Car, about 25 min | 30 min |
| Rocamadour | Car, about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
| Bergerac | Car, about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
| Périgueux | Car, about 45 min | 1 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Walk to Lascaux IV (15 min) and restaurants; limited parking.
- Along the Vézère
- Quieter, often with river views; 10–20 min walk to centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kohm-byen |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ?par-lay voo ahn-glay |
| Where is Lascaux? | Où est Lascaux ?oo ay las-koh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Lascaux IV requires timed tickets booked online in advance, especially in summer.
- Market day (Saturday morning) fills the streets; arrive early for parking.
- Many restaurants close Sunday–Monday outside July–August.
Very safe. Watch for pickpockets at the Saturday market; the main risk is sunburn on the river in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Montignac yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lascaux IV – International Centre for Cave Art
- Vézère Valley (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Saturday market
- Canoeing on the Vézère
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Montignac (Dordogne), revision 3494863 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3494863
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/montignac-dordogne). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.