Located at just a 15-minute's drive from Saintes, the Paléosite invites you to follow in Pierrette’s footsteps, a Neanderthal woman who lived over 36 000 years ago here, in the little village of Saint-Césaire in Charente-Maritime. The area is near the archaeological site « La Roche à Pierrot », where she was found.

Nor a museum, nor a park, the Paléosite is a museographical site fully dedicated to the Neanderthal man, our far cousin and descendant of early humans. Through an interactive museography, screening rooms, archaeological collections and daily activities, you will live Prehistory as if you were there !

The activities are included in the entrance ticket

They are part of Paléosite’s visit tour, no need to book (except if there is a specification for an activity).

To prepare your visit at the Paléosite

It takes about 4 hours… Let’s discover what you can expect to see here.

Actually fire can’t be made by banging two bits of flint together  ! Our  activity leaders show you fire ignition using two different techniques appeared 250 000 years ago : the percussion technique and the friction technique. If you want to know more : this activity is perfect for you !

Humans always made rudimentary tools to eat, at that time they didn’t have guns or knifes. They needed good weapons, that is why they spent long hours making efficient tools. If you attend this demonstrative performance, the flint cut won’t hold any secrets for you anymore !

This invention has revolutionized hunting pratices from Palaeolithic thanks to the speed of the projectile, the spear, multiplied by 3 compared with a hand throwing. Our activity leaders will teach you the technical gestures so you can attempt this way of hunting, which was really innovative in Homo Sapiens.

Participatory activity for adults and children (from age 6 and above)

For one hour, children can learn the gestures and the archaelogical digging techniques like real archaeologists. Let’s hope they will find some delightful discoveries !  From age 6 and above.

Check the Paléosite's agenda for some special prehistoric workshops  : « Vis ma vie de Néandertal » (Live my life as Neanderthal), neolithic pottery workshop, fossils discovery or fire ignition.

Paleosite’s restaurant « La Broche à Pierrot » is the perfect place to have a relaxing break and eat for lunch or take a snack at the end of the day.

The restaurant offers you simple and copious dishes with local products that can be appreciated by both adults and children. On sunny days, feel free to enjoy our terrace which has a panoramic view on the park and Homo Sapiens’s huts.

The meals cost between 8.90€ and 18.00€ and the children’s menu 8.90€.