La Musée de l’Ours des Caverns(Cave Bear Museum)

Description: Discovered by chance in 1988 these caves housed one of the biggest deposits of bear remains in Europe. Several thousand bears lived in the caves between 40000 and 21000 BC. Visitors today visit a reconstructed cave to give a sense of what the bear cave looked like, with displays, exhibits and interactive question/answer screens showing the living conditions of the animals.

General Information: Open 7 days a week during all French school holidays and the summer. Weekends only from January to April and October. Closed Nov and Dec. Tel No: 0(4) 79 26 29.

Website: www.musee-ours-cavernes.com

Location: At Entremont-le-Vieux, 25 km south of Chambéry (a 35 minute drive) on the D912.

Our recommendation: A rather specialised museum that is of limited appeal.

Here’s more information to make the most of your visit to the Alps: