Period of occupancy Paléolithique moyen et supérieur (≈ 1505000 av. J.-C.)
Documented cultural and technological transition.
18 décembre 1946
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 18 décembre 1946 (≈ 1946)
Legal protection of the site.
Début du XXe siècle
Search by Denis Peyrony
Search by Denis Peyrony Début du XXe siècle (≈ 2004)
Discovery of Chatelperronian artifacts.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Abri Audi (Case A 763): registration by order of 18 December 1946
Key figures
Denis Peyrony - Archaeologist
Searches and site studies.
Louis Capitan - Peyrony Collaborator
Co-author of scientific publications.
Origin and history
The Audi Shelter, also known as Career Shelter, is a major prehistoric site located in the Eyzies-de-Tayac, Dordogne (New Aquitaine). This rock shelter, located at 7-199 rue du Moulin, was identified as a transition point between the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic. It is distinguished by its geographical position in an area rich in archaeological deposits, typical of troglodytic habitats of that time.
The excavations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century by archaeologist Denis Peyrony revealed tools and artifacts attributed to the Châtelperronien, a material culture characteristic of this pivotal period. These discoveries have enabled a better understanding of the size techniques and lifestyles of the last Neandertalians or the first Homo sapiens in Europe. The Audi shelter thus illustrates the dynamics of settlement and technological innovation during the Prehistory.
The site was officially recognized for its heritage importance by registration as historic monuments on 18 December 1946. This legal protection emphasizes its scientific and historical value, while preserving the remains for future studies. The publications of Peyrony and his collaborators, such as Louis Capitan, between 1905 and 1948, remain references for the study of this site and the Regional Prehistory.
Today, the Audi shelter is part of a wider archaeological landscape, including other sites of the Eyzies-de-Tayac, classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites under the name "Prehistoric sites and caves adorned with the valley of the Vézère". Its exact address, 23 A rue du Moulin, allows to situate it precisely in this territory marked by the human presence for millennia.
