Period of occupancy Paléolithique (≈ 1505000 av. J.-C.)
Site dated this prehistoric era
9 février 1993
Registration Historic Monument
Registration Historic Monument 9 février 1993 (≈ 1993)
Official protection of the cave
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Parcel B 100 containing the cave for the ground, the basement and consequently all the cavities situated below the said parcel: inscription by order of 9 February 1993
Origin and history
The Moulin Cave, located in the municipality of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie in the Lot (Occitanie region), is an archaeological vestige dated from the Paleolithic. This underground site, listed as a Historic Monument, bears witness to the early human occupation in this karst zone of Quercy. Official protection covers Parcel B 100, including soil, basement and all underlying cavities, according to an order dated 1993.
The designation of Historic Monuments in 1993 underscores the heritage importance of this site, although specific details of its occupation or archaeological discoveries are not mentioned in available sources. The cave is part of a landscape marked by the troglodytic presence, characteristic of the region, where the caves served as shelters or places of life for Paleolithic populations. The approximate location, noted as "passable" (level 5/10), suggests a positioning in the Ganil valley, near the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie.
In Paleolithic times, caves like the Moulin were central to hunter-gatherer communities. These spaces provided weather protection and were the basis for activities such as the size of flint tools or hunting local animals (horses, reindeer, bison). In Quercy, the steep valleys and limestone plateaus favoured this nomadic lifestyle, with sites often reused over several millennia. The absence of detailed sources for this specific cave does not make it possible to specify its exact use or its link to other regional sites such as Pech Merle.
