Grotte Chauvet: heritage put to the fictitious test

In its latest issue, Culture & Musées magazine examines the impact of digital culture, opening its columns to Mélanie Duval, Christophe Gauchon and Charlotte Malgat (Edytem). They explore the case of the replica of the Chauvet cave, opened in 2015 two kilometers from the original, and closed to the public.

From the scenography to the materials, from the temperature of the cave to the choice of site, everything has been designed to give visitors a feeling of authenticity. Does the magic intended by the “engineers of enchantment” work? What does the public’s experience have to say about their relationship with heritage? Can fiction help, or even compete, with reality?

This work, carried out as part of the Singularizing Mountain Territories project supported by Labex ITTEM, included a survey of visitors to the Chauvet cave and a series of interviews with local players.