Before the time of the Neanderthals, between 560,000 and 400,000 BC, there were already human beings living on French soil. They survived ice ages and intense climatic shifts. They had to adapt to ever-evolving prey - and predators. They continued like this for hundreds of thousands of years, raising their children, without even apparently having mastered fire. 

They came from Africa, these Homo heidelbergensis, ancestors of the Neanderthals, and they gradually colonized Europe. Now more than ever, scientists are lifting the veil on this mysterious, fascinating and largely unknown period. From Italy to Spain, from England to Germany, the traces these early humans left are being studied by archaeologist in order to reveal their secrets.  

Lets go back in time 500,000 years to discover the hitherto unknown history of whole other kind of humanity: Home Heidelbergensis, the first inhabitants of the European continent.