Part 2/14:
The story begins over 18 million years ago, with our earliest ancestors setting foot in what we now call France. Around 16,000 BCE, during the Paleolithic era, early humans demonstrated remarkable artistic talent with cave paintings found in Lasco caves—reconstructions of which are accessible to visitors today. Moving forward approximately 6,000 years later, in 10,000 BCE, humans entered the Neolithic period, characterized by the advent of agriculture and settled life.
By 4,500 BCE, religious practices became evident through megalithic monuments, such as the famous alignments at Carnac, consisting of tomb stones, dolmens, and other structures. These sites highlight early spiritual and societal organization.