The aim of our study concerns the reconstitution of environments and strategy of the subsistence of the last hunter-gatherers in the lower valley of Rhone and their margin, between last glacial maximum and the optimum Holocene (20-8 k BP). The objectives are to better characterize the human behaviour during the transitional phase Tardiglaciaire-Holocene, marked by the deglaciation and then important environmental change, in a region with peculiar biogeography and cultural successions. In this perspective, our work is based on taphonomical and zooarcheological analysis of 14 faunal collection from eastern Languedoc (Salpêtrière, Oullins, Valorgues, Le Plaisir, Fontaine du Pila, Saut du Loup, Chazelles) and Vaucluse (Chinchon 1 et 2, Gramari, Abri Gauthier, Vauloubeau, Les Agnels, Soubeyras), dating from Solutrean and Mesolithic. Furthemore, a comprehensive inventory have been realized, including the zooarcheological data from all archaeological deposits of this period and this region (100 level of 48 deposits). Our results allow to propose a diachronic regional synthesis about the chrono-biogeography of the animal species as well as the adaptative strategy of subsistence of hunter-gatherers faced to climatic warming. The succession of cold to temperate faunas is coherent with others French regions of France but it occurred earlier in the south, starting during the second half to Dryas I/beginning Bölling (arrival of wild boar, increase of red deer, absence of bison), related to important climatic break (Tardiglaciaire) at 18 ka BP in eastern Languedoc. At the end of Solutrean, the strategy of acquisition of ungulate changes with transition to faunal spectrum dominated by the reindeer to faunal spectrum more diversified. From old Salpêtrien to Mesolithic, the faunal associations are composed by several species with a dominance of two or three species (red deer, wild boar, horse, bovinae). However, specialized associations persist. At Solutrean periods, the exploitation of main animals (reindeer, horse) is maximal, with recovery of all ressources (flesh, grease, marrow, organs) and byproducts (bones, antlers of cervids, sinew, hoof of horse). The introduction of the small game in the diet of prehistoric human is attested sporadically at the middle and terminal Magdalenian, but it shows a real development only during the Epipaleolithic with the acquisition of important amount of terrestrial shell and rabbit. The small game resources are extended to the marine shell, fish and tortoise at the Mesolithic. From Solutrean to Mesolithic, the diversification of foods resources is relatively limited. During all this period, an important number of ungulates is purchased, also in the faunal spectrum dominated by the reindeer and the acquisition of small game concerned only one specie in the majority of deposits and it represents a limited amount of flesh; and the majority is supplied by ungulates.
