Located on two floors on the side of a cliff. The museum housed in around ten caves invites you to go back in time through a reconstruction of troglodyte habitat from prehistory to the present day.
Prehistoric men probably found refuge from ferocious beasts in these caves. In addition, several living conditions were met there: sources of drinking water, fish that could be caught in the rich waters of the estuary...
You will also discover the fossilized wealth of the Cretaceous seabed: rudists, ammonites, nautiluses, sea urchins, corals, oysters...
In aquariums, you will be able to observe some species of fish frequenting the waters of the estuary, among others, the famous caviar producer: the Sturgeon...
In one of the caves, you will discover the reconstruction of a typical Saintongeais habitat from the 19th century: bed, kitchen utensils, collection of old regional earthenware, traditional costumes, headdresses and dressers.
The life of the poor people who occupied the caves improved considerably with the arrival of tourists indulging in the brand new fashion of “Sea Bathing”. Indeed, the constant temperature, the brightness, the breathtaking view of the estuary, as well as the micro climate of the south-facing terraces made it a place for walks. We then saw the appearance of refreshment bars, taverns and restaurants, the best known and most popular of which was that of the Grottes de Matata.
A reconstruction of the troglodyte habitat and a unique viewpoint make the caves of real tourist and cultural interest.