Sauveterre-La-Lémance: Discover Prehistory
Accommodation in Sauveterre-La-Lémance
A museum in a former municipal market hall and an archaeological site on the riverbank give Sauveterre-La-Lémance a clear focus on prehistory. The SauveTerre Musée de Préhistoire is dedicated to this subject and to science; at Martinet, a self-guided walk offers another way to explore the Mesolithic. This gives you two ways to discover the area as you plan your trip: a permanent exhibition and an outdoor exploration of an archaeological site.
Prehistory at the SauveTerre Musée de Préhistoire
Since 2011, the SauveTerre Musée de Préhistoire has been housed in the former municipal market hall in Sauveterre-La-Lémance. The permanent exhibition covers 450 m² over two levels and is divided into four sections. It explores the Sauveterrian period of the Mesolithic and how humans adapted to an ever-changing environment. It brings together a named period and a fundamental question about ways of life: how did people adapt to a changing environment?
The exhibition uses lighting effects, videos, touchscreens, hands-on facsimiles, audio stories and animal specimens. Models, facsimiles and touchscreens offer a way to discover the world of our ancestors. The different formats offer contrasting experiences: lighting effects and videos sit alongside audio stories, while facsimiles can be handled and touchscreens invite visitors to explore. A glass lift connects the areas on the two levels.
The discovery trail combines indoor and outdoor visits. It is open to the public and can be explored independently; a guide booklet is available on request at reception.
The story of discovery at Martinet
In the Lémance valley, archaeologist Laurent Coulonges researched prehistoric sites in the 1920s. At Martinet, he discovered a previously unknown, internationally renowned prehistoric culture, which he named Sauveterrian and dated to around 8,000 to 7,000 years before our time. The name connects the region’s history of discovery with the theme of the permanent exhibition: the exhibition explores the Sauveterrian period, while the story of Martinet focuses on the discovery and dating of the culture.
The Martinet archaeological site can be explored independently on a walk through the undergrowth along the banks of the Lémance. Information panels explain how people used natural resources during the Mesolithic. Here, an explanation of a specific topic goes hand in hand with exploring the wooded riverside surroundings.
When choosing a holiday rental, the different ways to explore can offer a practical point of reference: at the museum, four sections structure the permanent exhibition; at Martinet, information panels accompany a riverside walk. If a focus on prehistory suits your trip, Sauveterre-La-Lémance offers both an exhibition and an independent outdoor exploration as two different ways to visit.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Dondas, Layrac, Thézac, Madaillan, Colayrac-Saint-Cirq, Saint-Jean-De-Thurac, Douzains, Castelnau-sur-Gupie.
Back to the regional travel guide: Lot Et Garonne.
