Stone tools discovered at Chilhac (1968) and Lézignan-la-Cèbe in 2009 indicate that early humans were present in France at least 1.6 million years ago [REF].
Neanderthals were present in Europe from about 400,000 BC,[REF] but died out about 30,000 years ago, possibly out-competed by the modern humans during a period of cold weather.