[SauronOfMordor]

Over the last several million years, we have had alternating glacial and warm periods, with life retreating south when ice covered Europe, and advancing north as the glaciers went away during warm periods.

Finally humans who mastered fire, home building, and could plan for winter could manage to stay in colder areas.

[FarCenter]

The current Ice Age began about 2.58 million years ago. At 8 million years ago, Europe was much warmer and wetter than at present.