Visit the Cosquer Cave
Cosquer : the Prehistoric Cave Under the Sea
As of Saturday 4 June 2022, the replica of the Cosquer Cave in the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille will finally yield its secrets – hidden for 30,000 years at a depth of 37 metres beneath the sea. The story of the Cosquer Cave and its discovery is told on three floors with an ‘underwater’ replica of the prehistoric cave, which can be explored on board exploratory vehicles.
Between the sky, land, and sea ...
Begin your tour above the ‘sea’ by walking along a floating walkway leading to the ‘diving club’ – an exact replica of Henri Cosquer’s diving club.
Then, enter the elevator, which takes you down to the entrance of the underwater prehistoric cave. Diving masks and oxygen tanks are not required – you can explore the cave on board exploratory vehicles. Once on board, embark on a guided tour with an audio commentary available in six languages.
Return to ‘dry land’ after a thirty-five-minute exploration of the cave and its cave art – there are more than 400 works on the cave’s walls.
Continue your tour by heading for the amphitheatre to view a previously unseen documentary that retraces the cave’s discovery by Henri Cosquer.
Continue satisfying your curiosity by heading for the Galerie de la Méditerranée located on the building’s third floor.
The areas to discover
The Cosquer Cave
THE CAVE IS LOCATED IN BASEMENT LEVEL 2 ‘BENEATH THE SEA’. THE AREA CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED VIA THE ELEVATOR. THE DURATION OF THE TOUR IS 35 MINUTES.
Departing from the underwater station, in groups of six people, visit the replica of the Cosquer Cave in an atmosphere similar to that of the original. Explore the 1,750-square-metre cave comfortably seated on board exploratory vehicles. During your tour, an audio-guide commentary will help you unlock the secrets of the Homo sapiens who lived in the cave 30,000 years ago. Engravings, paintings, speleothems, handprints, and geological wonders have been replicated and reproduced for public viewing in a very realistic and scientifically rigorous manner.
The Galerie Méditerranée
THE GALERIE DE LA MÉDITERRANÉE IS LOCATED ON THE THIRD FLOOR IN THE CANTILEVER. YOU CAN GAIN ADMISSION WITH YOUR COSQUER CAVE TICKET.
The Galerie de la Méditerranée focuses on the Homo sapiens who lived in the cave, their relations with the animals in the bestiary, the ways in which they represented themselves, and their activities in the sea. In an area with a surface area of 2,500 m2, enjoy an immersive experience, enabling you to embark on a discovery of Palaeolithic rock art and the rising sea levels that led to the submersion of the cave.
The Centre Cassidain de plongée (Diving Centre)
LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR
Dive into the world of Henri Cosquer through the replica of his diving club. Discover the diving gear and equipment used by professional and amateur divers when Henri Cosquer discovered the cave. Hence, visitors can begin to get a good idea of the conditions in which the famous discovery was made …
Frequently asked questions
We’re sorry, but the tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.
The tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.
Only handbags/rucksacks whose size does not exceed 44 x 20 cm will be allowed in the venue. Cloakroom facilities are available in basement level 1 and you can store your belongings in a coin-operated locker. Items deposited at the left-luggage office must be collected the same day. Valuables are stored under the owners’ responsibility.
The tour of the cave is not claustrophobic. However, some areas may seem confined, particularly the elevator that takes visitors down to the cave, as well as the tour of the cave, which is a very faithful replica of the original cave in terms of the spaces and light. Furthermore, visitors tour the cave on board exploratory vehicles, which require the use of a safety barrier to ensure good passenger containment. For your comfort and security, the entire tour itinerary is monitored by our teams and they will be pleased to provide you with any additional information.
Visitors have to take a large escalator up to the Galerie de la Méditerranée. People who suffer from vertigo or acrophobia may experience dizziness.
With the exception of service animals (guide dogs, etc.), animals are not allowed.
The entire tour lasts on average 2 hours.
Eating or drinking is not allowed in the cave and the Galerie de la Méditerranée. You are very welcome to have something to eat in the ‘Le France’ café restaurant during your tour. You can also have a picnic outside the Villa Cosquer on the J4 esplanade, where there are self-service tables.
The entire venue is open to young children. However, for security reasons, the tour of the cave is not open to children aged 3 or under.
You can see our offers for group tours on the Group page and make a booking by email at [email protected] or by telephone: +33 (0)4 91 312 312, from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
All the venue’s areas are accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Only the tour of the cave, which takes place on board exploratory vehicles, is not accessible to people with reduced mobility who cannot transfer from their wheelchairs.
However, to provide PRM who cannot transfer from their wheelchairs with the same visitor experience, we have created a special cubicle at the entrance of the cave, in which the entire tour will be screened.