The Chauvet Cave or Chauvet-Pont-d ` Arc Cave lies near Vallon-Pont-d ` Arc , in the ArdÃ che dÃ partement , in southern France . The Chauvet-Pont-d ` Arc Cave is a cave in the ArdÃ che department of southern France that contains the earliest known cave paintings , as well as other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life . It is located near the commune of Vallon-Pont-d ` Arc on a limestone cliff above the former bed of the ArdÃ che River .