There is a fish in the cliff. It is about a metre long, carved into the ceiling of a small rock shelter in the Gorge d'Enfer, a short, steep-sided valley that opens onto the Vézère near Les Eyzies, and it has been there for roughly twenty-five thousand years. The carver made use of the natural shape of the rock, shaping the outline of a salmon in relief, with the head, an open mouth with its hooked jaw, and the gills. The fish was found in the early twentieth century, and it remains one of the oldest known sculptures of its kind in Europe.
Look at the setting, and you can see why the salmon matters. The river below still runs cold and clean, and the cliff walls give shelter from the wind and rain. For Stone Age people, a seasonal run of fish was a gift, and the fish on the ceiling is a kind of calendar. The shelter is protected, and a barrier keeps visitors at a distance, so the carving is seen from below with some guidance. Check visiting times before you set out, and expect a short walk.
The gorge is cool and shaded, with moss on the rock, and smells of wet stone and walnut leaf. The roads around Les Eyzies are narrow and winding, and the stretch along the river to Le Bugue is a pleasure at a gentle pace. In July and August it is busy, with campervans and coaches, and the early morning is better. In spring, the cliffs are green with box and ivy, and in autumn the walnut orchards turn yellow.
Le Bugue, with about three thousand people, has fuel and shops, and Les Eyzies has restaurants and a bakery. The ride that starts here heads west toward Bordeaux, following the Dordogne valley through Bergerac and the vineyards of Saint-Émilion, so the day moves from ancient stone to some of the most famous wine country in the world. Take your time, and pack a wind layer for the slower miles.