Le Grand Roc is a cliff above the Vézère, near Les Eyzies, with a cave that is famous not for paintings but for rock formations. Inside are stalactites, stalagmites and delicate crystal growths called eccentrics, which twist in every direction as if they had ignored gravity. Visitors walk through the cave along a lit path, and on the way out there is a terrace cut into the cliff, with a view over the valley, the river and the roofs of Les Eyzies. It is one of the best places to understand the geography of the valley.
Les Eyzies, a short way along, calls itself the capital of prehistory, and with good reason. The national museum of prehistory sits in the cliff above the village, and nearby, in 1868, workers found the remains of several people in a rock shelter, who became known as Cro-Magnon man, the first anatomically modern humans to be recognised in Europe. A statue of a Neanderthal man, a little too happy, stands at the side of the road.
The riding in the area is among the loveliest in south-west France. The D706 follows the Vézère in a gentle line, with the cliffs on one side and the river on the other, and the roads that climb out of the valley through oak and chestnut woods give views across the plateau. Surfaces are good, and corners are mostly gentle, so it is a relaxed ride. Be careful with tractors, cyclists and campervans in summer, and with the shade of the cliffs, where damp patches stay on the tarmac after rain.
Le Bugue, a few kilometres downstream, has fuel and shops, and Les Eyzies has bars, restaurants and a bakery. Try the walnut cake and the local strawberries in June, and in autumn, the chestnuts and the mushrooms. The caves are cool, around thirteen degrees, so a light jacket is useful even on a summer day. Book tickets in advance in summer, because the number of visitors is limited to protect the formations.