Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil (; ) is a former commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Les Eyzies. Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil lies in the Périgord Noir area. It is served by the Gare des Eyzies railway station. This locale is home to the (National Museum of Prehistory) and the area contains several important archaeological sites, including the Font-de-Gaume, and Lascaux cave prehistoric rock dwellings. The many prehistoric sites and cave paintings in the area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley in 1979. Geography Location The commune is located at the confluence of the Vézère and the Beune rivers. It is accessible by the SNCF network at the Gare des Eyzies, by the A89 motorway, exit 16 Périgueux-East (Bordeaux – Périgueux axis) and then by the D710 road or by Montignac via Terrasson (Lyon - Terrasson-Lavilledieu axis). In the north-west, the commune is also watered by another small tributary of the Vézère, the Manaurie. Climate In the Dordogne department, the highest temperature was recorded on 4 and 5 August 2003 at Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, with 43°C. Neighbouring communes and villages Population Toponymy In Occitan, the commune bears the name Las Aisiás de Taiac e Siruèlh. History In March 1868, the geologist Louis Lartet, financed by Henry Christy, discovered the first five skeletons of Cro-Magnons, the earliest known examples of Homo sapiens sapiens, in the Cro-Magnon rock shelter at Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. These skeletons included a foetus, and the skulls found were remarkably modern-looking and much rounder than the earlier Neanderthal. Economy As at 31 December 2013, the municipality has 209 establishments, including 151 in the field of commerce, transport or services, twenty relating to the administrative sector, education, health or social action, eighteen in construction, thirteen in the industry, and seven in agriculture, forestry or fishing. Places and monuments L'Homme primitif is a statue by Paul Dardé, inaugurated in 1931 and placed on a natural platform that dominates the village of Les Eyzies; It can be approached during the visit of the National Museum of Prehistory. Natural Sites Grotte du Grand Roc, cave with natural eccentric crystallisations comparable to corals. Prehistoric sites The municipality has many prehistoric archaeological sites including: The Grotte de Font-de-Gaume, the last cave with prehistoric polychrome paintings still open to visit in the region Les Combarelles