# Earliest known human presence in France (-1600000)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/-1600000-earliest-known-human-presence-in-france
Location: Lézignan-la-Cèbe

Stone tools attest very early hominin occupation in what is now France. Within the broader Prehistoric France period, From the earliest hominin traces to the Iron Age, the territory of modern France saw repeated migrations, changing climates, technological innovations and increasingly complex communities long before a French state existed. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Prehistoric communities (No single ruler). Earliest known human presence in France is a useful marker in the longer transformation of political authority, society and culture in France. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Earliest known human presence in France is a useful marker in the longer transformation of political authority, society and culture in France.

Ruler at the time: [Prehistoric communities](https://history-france.com/rulers/prehistoric-communities)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Earliest known human presence in France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Earliest+known+human+presence+in+France&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Earliest known human presence in France](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Earliest+known+human+presence+in+France)
- [Wikipedia — History of France overview](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_France)