megalith guide

Guideto the

MENHIRSand other

MEGALITHS of Central

BRITTANy

NEZERT BOOKS

About the AuthorSamuel Lewis lives and works in Central

Brittany, where he first developed an interest in megaliths.

He is the author of the Central Brittany Journal’s popular ‘Megalith Diary’,

and also contributes to the Journal's Gardening and Nature sections.

Guideto the

MENHIRSand other

MEGALITHSof Central

BRITTANy

Samuel Lewis

B

O O K S

N

EZERT

Photographs:Wendy Lewis: pages 1 / 14 / 15 / 17 / 33 top / 34 / 35 / 38 / 41 bottom / 42 bottom / 43 / 44 / 46 / 51 / 67; Tom Keen: page 28; Gareth Lewis: pages 41 top / 68 / 69; Mary-Ellen Webb: page 42 top; Alan Kirton: page 45; Thierry Boderhat: page 48; all other photos by the author.Artwork: Bethan Lewis, necklace, page 10; other drawings by the author.Cover: The Kergadiou Menhir, Plourin.Inside front cover: Cailouan Menhir, PlésidyP. 13: Menhir near Pasquiou, le Vieux-Bourg.

Thanks to: Readers of the CBJ for information supplied to ‘Megalith Diary’.Alain Goutal for information about menhirs in the Forest of Duault.

Special thanks to the residents of Brittany who care for the ancient megaliths and who provide free access to them across their land.

First Published July 2009Nezert BooksLe Nezert, 22160 Duault, FranceISBN: 952 270 595 2©Nezert Books 2009

Printed by Le Fur Imprimerie, BP 231, Z.A de la Villeneuve, 29834 Carhaix.

Western Finistere Kerloas Menhir 1 Kergadiou Menhirs 2 Cairn at Barnenez 3 Lagatjar Alignments 4 Alignment at Lostmarc’h 5

Menez Arez Wedding Party Alignment 6 Menhir at le Cloître 7 Kerampeulven Menhir 8 Mougau-Bihan 9 Ty ar Boudiged 10

Menez DU Trimen Menhir 11 Croaz-an-Teurec Alignment 12 Castel-Rufel 13 St-Jean Menhir 14

GUinGAMP AreA Kerguezennec Menhir 15 Pédernec Menhir 16 Pergat Menhir 17

FOrest OF DUAULt Kercoutois Menhir 18 Les Jumeaux 19 La Dent de St-Servais 20 Covered Alley Toul an Urz 21 Paotr Saout 22

ArGOAt Covered Alley at Kernescop 23 Roc’h Toul Dolmen 24

ContentsCONTENTS

no.

Glomel Menhirs 25 Cailouan Menhir 26 Rossil Menhir 27 Kergornec Menhir 28

VieUX-BOUrG MenHirs Menhirs of the Croix de Pasquiou 29 Menhir near Pasquiou 30 Porzic Menhir 31 Menhirs near Botudo 32 Pont-aux-Prêtres Menhir 33 La Roche-Longue 34

DAOULAs & POULAnCre Covered Alleys of Liscuis 35 Covered Alley at Coët-Correc 36 Porz Guillo Menhir 37 Menhir du Bourg 38 Mein al Has and the Tombeau du Gaulois 39 Roc’h ar Lein Menhir 40 Bot-er-Mohed 41

FOrest OF LAnVAUX Jean Babouin 42 Loge aux Loups 43

CArnAC stOnes Kerzerho Alignments 44 Lost Stones of Kerzerho 45 Mané Braz & Mané Groh 46 Dolmen of Crucuno 47 The Great Alignments 48

Champ-Dolent, DOL-DE-BRETAGNE 49Roche-aux-Fées, ESSE 50

Map Centre PAGesMenhir sizes p. 70

GLOssAry Breton - english p. 71

CONTENTS

IntroductionBrittany has a greater concentration of megalithic stones

than any other part of the world, and it is words from the language of Brittany - Breton - that are universally used to describe different sorts of megaliths. In Breton, menhir means tall stone (men = stone, hir = tall) and dolmen means stone table (dol = table, men = stone).

Brittany is home to many of the world’s most spectacular megaliths: the world’s tallest menhir is to be found in Brittany; the world’s largest alignments of megalithic stones occur round Carnac, on the south coast of Brittany; the world’s biggest dolmen is to be found not far from Rennes, Brittany’s capital city; and the world’s largest megalithic cairn is sited on the north coast of Brittany. There is also a host of lesser-known megalithic stones, of all shapes and sizes, scattered across the Breton countryside, each with its own history and folklore.

This book is not a complete guide to every single megalithic stone in Brittany – such a work would probably be impossible – rather, it is designed to provide information about a selection of stones, which, when taken together, will give the visitor a genuine insight into the mysterious world of Brittany’s megalithic heritage.

Who Built the Stones?The two questions that everyone asks when they see

their first megalith is: ‘Who put it there?’ and ‘Why did they put it there?’. Over the years, many people have attempted to answer these questions, but none of the explanations have been able to withstand the test of time. In the nineteenth century, it was almost universally assumed that the stones were druidic in origin, and, as a natural consequence of this, theories relating to the stones were based upon what little was known of the druidic religion. For instance, it is from this time that the once widespread belief comes that the dolmens were used for human sacrifice. It is now thought to be highly unlikely that the druids were involved in such practices, but more importantly, with regards to the stones themselves, it is now agreed that they long pre-date the arrival of Celtic people, and the druids, in Brittany. Current thinking is that most of Brittany’s megalithic stones were set in place around 7000 years ago. This would date them alongside the ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia and the Indus valley, but the truth is that no one can say who erected

5Menhirs and other Megaliths of Central Brittany

INTRODUCTION

them or when. There is still a possibility that they could be far older than this. The ancient civilisations of the Middle East, India and Egypt have left records in the form of clay tablets, intricate stone carvings, and oral histories passed from generation to generation - all of which combine to give us a picture of the lives led by the people of those times. No such records exist to tell us about the people who put Brittany’s stones in place; we do not know who they were, how they lived, or why they wanted to build such monumental structures. This is perhaps one of the greatest fascinations of the megaliths; every one who sees them is free to speculate, and to make up their own ideas about their original purpose.

What were the stones for?Not knowing who put up the stones, makes it difficult to

know why they did it. Nevertheless, theories abound as to what the original purpose of the various stones might have been. Up until recently, for example, it was assumed

6 Menhirs and other Megaliths of Central Brittany

Megalithic art

Etched on the walls of some stone chambers are patterns and motifs, as mysterious today as the megaliths themselves. There are also several carved menhirs, but most of the art appears inside dolmens. The most spectacular example of this is at the cairn on Gavrinis, an island in the Gulf of Morbihan. Here, nearly all of the 29 stones which form the walls have been covered with snaking lines and spiralling circles - perhaps the work of a prehistoric Michelangelo...

One of the carved stones from Gavrinis.

INTRODUCTION

Carving found in the Petit-Mont cairn, Arzon.

Carving, Gavrinis.

that dolmens, tumuli and ‘covered alleys’ were all different sorts of tombs or burial chambers. There is, however, no firm evidence that even this theory is correct; recent observations of how the sun or the moon shine into tumuli to strike a certain point at a certain time of the year, tend to contradict the idea that they were originally built as closed burial chambers. Human remains have been found in, or close to, certain megaliths but, so far, it has not been possible to prove that any of them date back to the time when the stones were set in place.

The menhirs, and alignments, are, if anything, even more difficult to explain than the dolmens. No civilisation of recent times has felt compelled to build these sorts of structures, and it is hard to understand why so much time and energy should have been expended on a task for which we can see no obvious use.

Megaliths around the worldAs with all aspects of this subject, there is a certain amount of disagreement as to which parts of the world megalithic stones are to be found. Everyone agrees that they are widespread in Brittany, England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. They are also common in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Northern Germany, Northern Spain, Portugal, and the west of France. There are arrangements of stones in many other parts of the world, including places as far afield as Korea, West Africa, and India, which to all intents and purposes seem to be megaliths, but no one can say for certain whether or not they date back to the same era as the European stones, or whether the people who built them had any contact with the megalith builders of Europe.


INTRODUCTION

The menhirs and dolmens of Western Europe.

Types of StoneThere are several different types of megaliths to be found

in Brittany:Menhir is the name given to the tall standing-stones which

are, perhaps, the most distinctive of all the megaliths. Brittany has both the tallest and the largest menhirs in the world, and many of them are relatively unvisited and in remarkably unspoilt settings. There are also many smaller menhirs dotted around the countryside, some of them virtually unknown outside their particular locality.Alignment is the name given to a series of stones arranged in lines. Some alignments consist of a few stones in a straight line, whilst others are much more complex. The world’s most famous alignments are in Carnac, where there are thousands of stones carefully arranged in rows. Sometimes, series of menhirs are in line with each other, even though they are several miles apart - which raises all sorts of interesting questions about the surveying techniques available to their original builders, and the number of megaliths that might once have existed.

Dolmen is the term applied to an arrangement of stones resembling a table i.e. two parallel stones set in the ground, with a large, flat ‘table stone’ balanced on top.

Covered alleys (once known as ‘passage graves’) are essentially a series of dolmens built in a row.

A Tumulus is a mound of earth, usually covering one or more dolmens or covered alleys.

Cairns are mounds of stones covering dolmens or covered alleys.

Why Brittany?It is not known why there should be so many more

megaliths in Brittany than anywhere else. Perhaps the whole of Europe was once covered with megaliths, but it seems unlikely that they should have disappeared in significantly greater quantities in every other part of Europe, and it is therefore possible that when they were built, Brittany was a significant centre of early civilisation - perhaps on a par with Egypt or China. If this is indeed the case, then it is a civilisation about which we know virtually nothing.


INTRODUCTION

FolkloreIn the absence of other information, local folklore

and any stories associated with the stones have to be treated with the greatest respect. Unfortunately, even until relatively recently, people in authority have tried to suppress local traditions concerning the megaliths, and there has also been a long history of religious intolerance towards local customs associated with particular stones. Thankfully, things have improved over recent years, and a certain amount of the old folklore has now been made a matter of public record. Many of the stones were believed to have healing properties or to aid fertility. Locally, stones were often referred to as ‘house of the fairies’, ‘house of the korrigans’ etc, and there seem to be strong links between the stones and the traditional Breton fairy stories which feature giants, magicians, korrigans (pixies) and other fairy folk living alongside human beings. Wherever


the grand Menhir BrisÉ

The menhir which now lies in four huge fragments at the entrance to the Gulf of Morbihan on the Locmariaquer peninsula would once have been 18 metres tall, making it the crowning centrepiece of the megalithic world, and larger than any single stone put up before or since.

Not even the Egyptians, Greeks or Romans succeeded in transporting such a weight. Studies have shown that the menhir was transported from 4 km away, and that the stones, which seem to lie where they have fallen, are not in the correct order. This has given rise to a series of speculations as to why and how the menhir could have fallen. Was the stone ever successfully raised? Did it break during its erection? Was it lightning or even an earthquake which brought it down, or was it perhaps the deliberate act of subsequent generations, who wished to reuse the stone…?

Plans were underway to transport the stone to Paris for the Great Exhibition of 1900, where it would have been re-erected beside the Eiffel tower. Local indignation, however, brought an end to the idea.

The great menhir remains today, an indisputable testimony to a vanished civilisation.

INTRODUCTION

possible, this folklore is included in the text describing each megalith. No one knows for certain how old these stories are: some are fairly modern – invoking Christian mythology or recent historical events – but some of them seem very ancient, and may even date back to the origin of the stones themselves - who knows?

Many of the old customs still live on, and even today the stones are looked after with exceptional care - they have, for example, survived a revolution in agricultural practices that has swept away almost every other aspect of the traditional Breton countryside.

In times gone by, the megaliths, and the reverence in which they were held, so enraged the clergy that they sometimes tried to ‘Christianize’ the stones. Crosses were placed on top of them, or churches built beside (or even


Megalithic treasures

One of the oldest beliefs associated with the megaliths is that they conceal buried treasure. Consequently, most sites were extensively searched many years ago. In spite of this, when archaeologists began excavating, many interesting things were discovered. The cairns and dolmens around Carnac unearthed the richest finds, including jewellery made from precious stones, and beautiful, finely-worked axe heads. The beauty and precision of these items point to a highly-civilised race, with a great tradition of art and craftsmanship.

Perhaps the loveliest thing unearthed is the jewellery made from calais, a green jadeite stone, very popular with the ancient crafstmen. This necklace was found inside the Kergalat Dolmen, and is now in the Musée de Préhistoire, Carnac.

Finely-polished axe head

INTRODUCTION

over) them, and visitors to the stones were threatened with hell and damnation. And yet the stones, and the folklore associated with them, survived.

Historical RecordsThere are surprisingly few written references to Brittany’s

megaliths in any books prior to the beginning of the twentieth century. A hundred years ago, even the stones


Who oWns the Megaliths?

The concept of land ownership was only introduced to Brittany after the French Revolution. The Breton tradition was that most of the country was in common ownership - belonging to the people as a whole - and individuals only had rights over the parcels of land that they farmed. In this tradition, all of Brittany’s megaliths were freely accessible to both local residents and visitors, and an argument could be made that until a specific law is passed to the contrary, the megaliths legally belong to the people of the region and that everyone has a right to visit them.

In almost all cases this ancient right of access is respected by Brittany’s current landowners: in most cases the landowner maintains a path to a stone at his or her own expense and often takes pride in landscaping the area around it. There are a few instances where access is restricted, however, and, unfortunately, some of the worst offenders in this regard have been ‘official’ bodies who have sought to make money by charging for access to the stones. In 2002 there were large-scale demonstrations in Carnac, when local protestors sought to enforce their ancient right of access to the Carnac alignments which the authorities were in the process of fencing in. A compromise was reached,

and, since then, tourist boards, etc. have been more cautious about building fences

around stones without proper consultation with local

people.

Kermario Alignments, Carnac

INTRODUCTION

of Carnac were almost unknown outside the immediate locality, and many of the early ‘megalith hunters’ were neither French nor Breton, but came from the British Isles. Typically, they were people who originally came to Brittany on walking holidays or fishing trips, and only by chance became interested by the large, unexplained stones that they came across unexpectedly, hidden away in woods and forests or on remote heath land.

This peculiar state of affairs is due to the uneasy relationship that has long existed between Brittany and France. For many years, Bretons, particularly Breton-speakers, were effectively excluded from the French establishment; this establishment encompassed not only the world of government and administration, but also education, science, literature and academic research. The stones were obviously well known to local people, but there were no local scholars to bring them to the attention of the world at large. French scholars rarely visited Brittany, and when they did, they tended to see only what they expected - downtrodden peasants in need of ‘civilizing’; they were certainly not in a frame of mind to discover in Brittany the remains of Europe’s most ancient civilisation. For this reason, Brittany’s megaliths remained more or less unknown to the outside world until the end of the nineteenth century. Since then, they have been excavated, explored, documented, mapped, and sometimes even reconstructed, but even so, their true significance still seems to have escaped the attention of the academic community at large.


Place naMesThe majority of the megaliths in Brittany are in areas

in which, up until very recently, Breton, not French, was the indigenous language. During the first half of the Twentieth Century, the French government was committed to a campaign to suppress the Breton language; amongst other things, this involved giving French names to all the major towns and villages. The surviving menhirs, however, tend to be in remote areas, where the new French names were never adopted - because no one living in them spoke French. As a result, the original Breton place names are still the ones most often associated with the local megalith. For this reason, this guide gives both French and Breton names for the communes in which megaliths are sited. The glossary on page 71 gives an insight into the links between folklore, place names, and megaliths.

INTRODUCTION


Using the GuideThis book concentrates upon the megaliths of Central

Brittany. They tend to be less famous than some of the sites near the coast, but they have a special mystery of their own: more remote, quieter, and in completely rural settings. Its main purpose is to encourage people to visit Brittany’s ancient stones - both for their own pleasure and because this is the best way of ensuring that the stones continue to be left undisturbed by land owners and local authorities.

As far as possible, the megaliths have been grouped together according to their geographic location - so that more than one can be visited on an outing. The map in the centre of the book shows where they are in relation to each other, and more detailed maps and directions are included on the pages that cover each megalith (see inside back cover for a key to the classification system).

Many of the stones are situated in spectacular settings, and all of them are well worth a visit – especially the less

well-known ones. If, in the course of your travels, you discover a stone not listed

in this guide, or if you can update any facts that this guide contains, then please send us the information, which will be included in future editions.

Happy megalith hunting!

Kerloas MenhirSaint-RenanLokournan

The Kerloas Menhir measures 9.5m (31 ft), and is believed to be the world’s tallest menhir. Two hundred years ago it was even taller, but the top two metres were struck off by lightning.

It is thought to have been erected between six and seven thousand years ago, which makes it two mil-lennia older than the pyramids. The stone appears to have been brought a distance of at least two and a half kilometres, a journey that would have meant dragging it uphill!

The menhir is on the top of a ridge of land and is said to be visible from the city of Brest, thirty kilometres away.

Like other menhirs of the region, the stone is very smooth and el-egantly shaped. From one side it looks thin, and from the other, very wide, and it tapers as it goes upwards. There is a hollow towards the top and two lumps at the bottom directly opposite each other.

Couples traditionally came here and rubbed their stomachs against the lumps: men did so in hope of having a son, and women in hope of becoming head of the house.

WESTERN FINISTERE 1

St-RenanBrest

PlouarzelBrélès

Bois de Kervéatouz

KerloasP

D5D5

MENHIR


Kergadiou MenhirsPlourin Plourin-Gwitalmeze

Not far from Kerloas is the great Menhir of Kergadiou. It stands between Brèles and Plourin, and at 8.75m (28 ft) is one of the world’s tallest menhirs. It has also been described as the most perfectly shaped.

A few metres away is an eleven-metre long, ‘menhir couché’ (recumbent menhir). It can easily be climbed, giving visitors a spectacular, panoramic view over both land and sea.

There is a story of how the Kergadiou Menhir once belonged to an English sorceress. It was stolen and carried off to Brittany, where it was set up at Kergadiou. The sorceress was furious, and picking up a great block of stone, hurled it in the direction of the menhir. The throw was a powerful one, and the aim excellent, considering that it came all the way from England - however, it missed by just a few feet, leaving the menhir unharmed, and creating the second, fallen menhir.

The field belongs to a farmer, so it may be necessary to negotiate a fence or even cows. The menhirs are nonethe-less very well visited by both locals and tourists from all over Europe.

WESTERN FINISTERE2

16

Brèles

Plourin

Kergadiou

St-Renan

Porspoder

D28

D28

D68

D68

Menhirs and other Megaliths of Central Brittany

WESTERN FINISTERE

Cairn at BarnenezPlouezoc’h

The Cairn at Barnenez is situated just north of Morlaix in one of the Breton coast's most spectacular settings. In the 1950s it was thought to simply be a large, stony mound covered with grass and earth, but when a local building contractor started to use it as a stone quarry it became apparent that it was, in fact, Europe’s largest known megalithic cairn - dating back at least 6000 years. What we see today is the result of restoration work carried out in the 1960s. When excavated, the cairn was found to be quite empty, but it is known that local people had dug into the mound at some time during the 1800s.

19WESTERN FINISTERE 3

There is a charge to enter this site. The cairn is open to visitors every day except Mondays. The first Sunday of

each month from November to May is free. Tel: 02 98 67 24 73

17

CarantecBarnenez

Rade de Morlaix

D73

D76

LocquénoléMorlaix

Morlaix

Plouézoc’h

KernéléhenCairn P


WESTERN FINISTERE4Lagatjar Alignments

Camaret-sur-Mer KameledAt the tip of the Crozon peninsular, just outside the busy

port of Camaret-sur-Mer, are the Lagatjar alignments - some of the most celebrated menhirs in the world. These stones - well over 100 in number - are carved from white stone and stand on a plain beside the sea.

Although still stand-ing in the mid-1800s, by the early 1900s they had fallen over, and lay prostrate on the ground, tum-bled by an unknown cause. They were stood back up in 1928, and although there have been doubts as to how accurately this was done, it seems prob-able that they are in a very similar state now to how they were in Ancient times.

D8

Camaret-sur-Mer

Lagatjar

Crozon

D8a

Alignments


WESTERN FINISTERE WESTERN FINISTERE 5

Alignment at Lostmarc’hCrozon Kraozon

At Lostmarc’h, also on the Crozon peninsular, there is a stone alignment of sev-eral menhirs perched on the clifftop overlooking the sea. Surrounded by gorse and heather, these stones are in an incomparable setting, and seem to belong to a timeless era. Some way below there are the traces of a remarkable pre-Roman coastal stronghold, with the original ditch and earthworks cutting across the headland.

There were once many more stone rows on the Crozon peninsular, but time and human activity have all but obliterated their traces. It has been suggested that maybe this isolated outcrop of land once had some special religious significance.

19

D255

Morgat

D255

Crozon

Kerlouantec

Lostmarc’h

Alignment

Pointe de Lostmarc’h


MENEZ AREZ6The Wedding Party Alignment

Brasparts Brasparzh

The Menez Arez (French, Monts d’Arée) are Brittany’s tallest range of hills, culminating in the Roc’h ar Trevazel (384m) between Commana and La Feuillée. Characterized by peat bogs, heaths, windswept crags and forests, the area has largely escaped the intensive farming methods which caused the destruction of many ancient megaliths during the last century.

A remarkable alignment of up to 77 stones, known as La Noce de Pierres - the stone wedding party (‘An Eured Ven’ in Breton) - makes its way across the peat bogs at the foot of the Menez Mikael (Mont-St-Michel de Brasparts), one of the region’s tallest hills.

Half-buried in the gorse, the align-ment is on fairly wet ground. Some stones are barely more than ankle high and many have tipped over, but the largest are about as tall as a person, and can easily be climbed.

It has been said that these stones were once a large and boisterous wedding party, finishing off the last dance of the festivities, when they were turned to stone for their impolite treatment of a traveller.

Réservoir de St-Michel

D785

Menez Mikael

Alignmentla Noce de Pierres

Yeun Elez peat bog

Brasparts

CommanaPlounéour-Ménez

Morlaix

‘Centre de Formation Chasse - Nature’


MENEZ AREZ



MENEZ AREZ7Menhir at Le Cloître

Huelgoat An Uhelgoad The Menhir at Le Cloître is close to the D767 just outside

Huelgoat, on the edge of the Monts d’Arée. Turn off on a small road, direction ‘Pontauban’, and keep on for the hamlets of Le Cloître and St-Vinec. The menhir is some way before Le Cloître, slightly obscured by a hedge but quite visible from the road. It is in a private garden, close to a house built in 1978 before the significance of the stone was recognised. Visitors are very welcome.

Gorse and wood-land lie close to the menhir, and there are tales of a lost abbey in the vicinity - as the name ‘le Cloître’ (the cloister) would imply.

la Feuillée

Carhaix

Brennilis

HuelgoatSt-Vinec

MENHIR

Pontauban

le Cloître

D764

D14

MENEZ AREZ 8

KerampeulvenMenhirBerrien

The Kerampeulven Menhir is probably the most famous in the Monts d’Arée. Tall and slender, it stands in a small field, surround-ed by trees and a few houses. It is well signposted and the site is very welcoming. The stone has always drawn many visitors; women who could not have children would come to rub their stomachs against it, and at one time there was a spring here with curative properties. Although just north of the town of H u e l g o a t , the menhir is actually in the commune of Berrien.


D14

Berrien

Quinimilin

Huelgoat

D764

Carhaix

D14

la Feuillée

Kervao

Kerampeulven

Below: The tea shop in Huelgoat makes a welcome stop for a weary megalith hunter. Open 7am-7.30pm every day except Sun. and Wed.

MENEZ AREZ

MENEZ AREZ9

Mougau-Bihan Commana Kommanna

Mougau means cavern, and this large and cavernous ‘allée couverte’ (covered alley), is justifiably one of Brittany’s most famous megalithic sites.

The stones do not seem to have suffered much disturbance, and are in very good condition. Inside, there are several carv-ings, including one that is supposed to be an axe in relief, and another which is perhaps a guardian ‘Mother Goddess’.

Surrounding the covered alley is an old plum and apple orchard, and across the road is an area of protected peat bog, with a marked path for walkers. In the distance can be seen the craggy hills of the Menez Arez.

It has been recounted that giants lived in Mougau-Bihan, and that they were constantly warring with the korrigans who inhabited the nearby Ty-ar Boudiged (opposite page).


CommanaD764

D764

Huelgoat

Sizun

LandivisiauD11

Mougau Bihan

le Mongo Braz

P

MENEZ AREZ

MENEZ AREZ MENEZ AREZ 10

Ty ar Boudiged La Maison des Fées

Brennilis BrennilizThe Ty ar Boudiged (Maison des Fées,

House of the Fairies), is on the edge of the town of Brennilis. It is owned by the Fin-istère Archaeology Society, which exca-vated the site in 1991 (but found nothing of interest). It is one of the most unusual meg-aliths in Central Brittany because, although it is a covered alley, it still retains its original mound of earth. It is thought that all dolmens and covered alleys were once buried in this way, but this is one of the few that have withstood the test of time. This is an exceptionally pleasant site, and it is great fun to scramble in and out of the cave made by the stones. As its name implies, the Ty ar Boudiged was once thought to have been inhabited by fairy-folk.


D36

La Feuillée

Bellevue

Brennilis

D764

Loqueffret

HuelgoatCarhaix

Ty ar BoudigedP

MENEZ DU 11


Trimen Menhir St-Goazec Sant-Goazeg

Trimen means three stones, and at the beginning of the last century, three menhirs once stood by the little hamlet of Trimen. Two have fallen, but the last, and tallest, remains. Its front and back sides are flat and very wide, whereas from the side it is hardly noticeable.

Situated in the middle of a field, it is clearly visible from the road.

St-Goazec

Trimen

Scaër

D41

RoudouallecD6

Châteauneuf-du-Faou

Castel Ruphel

Croaz an

Teurec

Roc’h Toull

MENEZ DU

Croaz-an-TeurecAlignment

St-Goazec Sant-GoazegThe Montagnes Noires (Breton: Menez Du), is the name

given to the hills which stretch south-east from around Châteaulin to Gourin and Plouray. The area has always been known for its megaliths, and today it is still home to a variety of interesting stones.

The small alignment of three stones at Croaz-an-Teurec is remarkable, not so much for its size, but for the fact that it exists at all. Over the millennia, many of the smaller alignments have disappeared, but at Croaz-an-Teurec there are three stones still standing. According to tradition, there were once many more menhirs in this alignment, but the rest have fallen and been removed.

The stones are not hard to find as they actually stretch across the road, two on one side and one on the other. Close

by, and also beside the road, is another menhir of the same height.

MENEZ DU 12


St-Goazec

Trimen

Scaër

D41

Roudouallec

Gourin

D6


Castel Ruphel

D1

Croaz an

Teurec

Roc’h Toull alignment

MENEZ DU 13Castel-Rufel

St-Goazec Sant-GoazegThe interesting covered alley of Castel-Rufel (Menez an Duc

in Breton) is in the heart of the Montagnes Noires. It is at the top of one of the highest hills in the area, which is also the site of an ancient hill fort. There is an abandoned quarry at the foot of the hill, and the area around the covered alley is uncultivated. It is quite different from most of the other covered alleys in Brittany in that it is built in the arc-boutée style, i.e. like a card house, with the stones leaning against each other for support.

A popular story tells how it was once the home of the Giant Rufel, who was chief of the area and occupied the hill fort, where he lived with his daughter and a band of soldiers.

One day one of the guardsmen ran away with the giant’s daughter, and by the time Rufel noticed their absence, the couple had got as far as Scaër. In his wrath the giant laid his hands on any stones he could find, including some from his own house (explaining the alley’s dilapidated condition), and hurled them in quick succession after the retreating pair.

Luckily the giant’s daughter, together with the guardsman, succeeded in escaping, but the stones which Rufel had thrown, lay scattered across the whole length of the Menez Du. These are the menhirs which abound in the area. Many have been removed,

but one of the largest, known as the St-Jean Menhir (facing page), is still standing today.


St-Goazec

Trimen

Scaër

D41

Roudouallec

Gourin

D6


Castel Ruphel

D1

Croaz an

Teurec

MENEZ DU

Saint-Jean MenhirScaër Skaer

The St-Jean Menhir stands near the town of Scaër, on the D6 to St-Thurien, between the hamlets of St-Jean and Miné-St-Jean.

It is a famous landmark in the area, and very characterfully shaped. It does not possess the spherical perfection of many menhirs, and has numerous lumps and cracks on its surface; there is even a ledge one-third of the way up, large enough for a person to sit on quite comfortably!

Unusually, the stone is surrounded by a low stone wall, and there is a tree-lined path leading up to it.

The menhir stands near the St-Jean chapel and hamlet, where the festival of St-Jean was celebrated annually.

This Christian festival is the successor to the ancient Summer Solstice celebration, and it is probable that this has been a holy site for thousands of years.

MENEZ DU 14


Scaër

le FaouëtGourin

St-Thurien

CorayChateauneuf-

du-Faou

St-Jean

MinéSt-Jean

D782D782

D4

D6

Menhir

St-Jean Menhir; see story opposite.

GUINGAMP AREA15Kerguezennec Menhir

Bégard BearThe Keguezennec Menhir is north-west of Guingamp, near

the town of Bégard. It is close to the small hamlet of Keguezen-nec, in the heart of the countryside, and is not particularly easy to find. Once you are on the right road, however, it becomes visible from a good distance away.

The menhir is in a field, but access on foot is quite easy. It is a curiously-shaped stone; from the front and back it appears enormous, but a glance from the side reveals it to be remark-ably thin.

This menhir, together with those at Pédernec and Louargat (see next two pages), seem to be in line with each other,

although they are separated by quite large distances.

A few metres down the road a sunken pathway leads off to the ruisseau de Kerogan, a pretty little river, forded by an ancient stone bridge.


D767

Guingamp

Guénézan

Lannion

BégardMenhir

Kerguezennec

D15

Brélidy

GUINGAMP AREA 16

Pédernec Menhir Pédernec Pederneg

The massive menhir near Pédernec is one of Brittany’s larg-est. It is situated in the hilly countryside west of Guingamp and has a fine view over the Menez Bré, one of the region’s highest hills. In spite of its fame, this menhir is not well signposted. It is down a track off the D15 from Bégard to Louargat: look out for a lane between two houses in the hamlet of Parc Lan Bihan.

A small iron bar at the top of the menhir is all that remains of a statue of Saint Peter, which was fixed there in 1878.

Beside the stone is a crooked sweet chestnut tree.


Guingamp

Pédernecla Gare

Parc Lan BihanMenhir

RAILWAY

Kergillouard Braz

D767

D15

GuénézanBégard

Min Hir

Louargat

Lannion

Pergat MenhirLouargat Louergad

A visit to the Pergat Menhir is an unforgettable experience. The menhir stands in a wet glade, surrounded by trees. A short path leads to it from the road, and it is a breathtaking sight when the stone first comes into view.

Another, small menhir is situated some metres away, and between these is a larger, recumbent menhir, which, togeth-er with the other stones, must once have formed a small alignment.

The Pergat Menhir is believed to be 7000 years old, and measures approximately 7.50 metres (25 ft). The site is well

visited and famous in the area.It is interesting to note that the three

menhirs, at Kerguezennec, Pédernec and Pergat, appear to be in line with each other.

Directions:

GUINGAMP AREA17


LOUARGAT

BEGARD

PEDERNEC

Pergat menhir

Pedernec menhir

KerguezennecmenhirMenez Bré

Pergat Braz

la Gare

GuingampMorlaix

N12

D15

D31

Louargat

RAILWAY

Bégard

Pluzunet

MenhirP


Kercoutois MenhirSt-Servais Sant-Servez

The Forest of Duault lies between the villages of Duault and Saint-Servais. Occupying a series of rocky hills, it is one of the richest megalithic sites in Central Brittany, with at least 12 menhirs and dolmens within its borders or close by. None of these are signposted, however, and it takes a little ingenuity and perseverance to locate all the stones, which are often hidden by trees.

The forest menhir is situated in the middle of a fire break, close to the hamlets of Kercutois and Kerpinson. At around 4 metres (12 ft) tall, it is a fair-sized stone.

Convenant Bercot

Kerpinson

KercoutoisKerbernes

Clojou

Kerroux

le Bourg-Neuf

Moulin dele Bourg-Neuf

Linglay

Kerivoal

Kehamon

Convenant Picaign

Kerparquic

Kercam

Convenant Guernoquin

Convenant Hoat

Milin Kerroux

KerrouxIzellan

St-Nicodème

Maël-PestivienSt-Servais

Callac

Duault

P

P

Dent de St-Servais

forest menhirles Jumeaux

Ivy-covered menhir

Tilting menhir, Kerroux

Roudou-Laerez menhir

Gorges du Corong

Kerangle Toul-an-Urz

FOREST OF DUAULT 18


Les JumeaxThe Twin Menhirs

Saint-Servais Sant-ServezThe twin menhirs near Milin-Kerroux have truly stood side

by side for countless centuries. One is markedly taller than the other, and there was once a third, even smaller, in line with the first two. The menhirs are in a farmer’s field, and in Summer may be closely planted with crops.

(See map on page 33 for their specific location.)

FOREST OF DUAULT19


FOREST OF DUAULT FOREST OF DUAULT 20La Dent de Saint-Servais

Saint-Servais Sant-ServezThis is the tallest menhir of the forest, and the most impressive

in the area. Although well-visited, it gives the impression of being quite lost among the trees. A small forest path leads to the stone from the road which runs to Convenat Bercot.

Dent de St-Servais literally means ‘The tooth of St-Servais’, and a story tells how a giant once lost his teeth in the forest. The menhir’s shape is definitely reminiscent of a tooth.

There are several stones nearby which could well be fallen menhirs. (See map page 33.)

Pont-l’Abbé Bénodet

N12

N12

N165

N165

N165

N165

N165

N165D768

N166

N166

N24N24

N24

N12

N12

N176

N12

N12

D767

N164

N164

D766

D766

D767

D767

D76

8

D768

D70

0

D70

0

D10

D786

D786

D786

D887

D887

D765

D78

5

D785

D10

D58

D58

D788

D17

D16

D17

D17

D764

D764

D8

D778

D8

D16

D793

D793

D35

D17

D790

D8

D8

D786

D7

D766

D10

D69

N164

D790

D768

D768

D30

D764

D764

D764

D764

D78

5

D78

5

D769

D769

D42

D42

D36

D769

D769

D769

D1D1

D15

D1

D765

D107

D2

D784

D36

D783D765

D765

D31

D11

D782D1

8

D44

D768

D78

5D

36D

36

D783

D770

D770

D791

D18

D765

D62

D26

D27

D4

D22

D2

D2

D779 D77

8

D4

D768

D767

D767

D767

D9

D6

D787

D787

D790

D775

D1

D1

D6

D44

D6

D792

D791D22

D22

D7

D787

D11

D79

0

D767

D1

D786

D23

D7

D783

D3

D5

Carantec

Camaret-s.-Mer

Brennilis

Guipavas

Daoulas

Crozon

Commana

Landivisiaule Folgoët

LesnevenPloudalmézeau

Plougastel-Daoulas

Sizun

Roscoff

St-Pol-de-Léon

Cléguérec

BubryBannalec

le Faouët

Moëlan-s.-Mer

Larmor-Plage

Plouay

Pont-Aven

Scaër

Callac

Bourbriac

Belle-Isle-en-Terre

Carhaix

Berrien

Huelgoat

Locarn

Quintin

Rostrenen

Moncontour

Etables-sur-Mer

Loudéac

Lamballe

Plouha

Plœuc-s.-Lié

Uzel

Paimpol

Corlay

Bégard

GuingampLouargat

la Roche-Derrien

LannionTréguier

Perros-Guirec

Trégastel

Rohan

LocminéBaud

Plumelec

Theix

Auray

QuiberonSarzeau

Damgan

Carnac

Coray

Concarneau

Rosporden

Douarnenez

Pleyben

Brasparts

FINISTERE

Plestin-les-Grèves

Brignogan-Plage

Porspoder

Plouarzel

Locquirec

St-Jean-Brévelay

le Conquet

Erdéven

St-Renan

Argol

Nantes à Brest Canal

Menez Du

Me n e z A r e z

Odet

Aven

Elorn

Aul

ne

Sc

orff

Blav

et

Bla

vet

Leff

Tri

eux

Jaudi

Ellé

Plourin

Plouézoc’h

Morgat

Lohuec

Pédernec

Duault

St-Servais

Maël-Pestivien St Gilles

Pligeauxle Vieux-Bourg

Plésidy

Plouharnel

Bannalec

BREST

Landerneau

Châteaulin Spézet

St-Goazec

LocronanGourin

Quimperlé

Plouray

Inguiniel

Inzinzac-Lochrist

LORIENT

QUIMPER

Pontivy

Crach

VANNES

Josselin

Trédion

Guerlesquin

Pontrieux

ST-BRIEUC

Mûr-de-Bretagne

St-Mayeux

Laniscat Dao

ulas

GouarecGlomelChâteauneuf-

du-Faou

Guémené-sur-Scorff

MORLAIX

A r g o a t

9

St-Nicolas-du-Pélem

Caurel

Gavrinis

Musée d'Histoire et d'Archéologie

Menhir Brisé

4

5

1

2

7106

8

3

23

2827

26

24

25

1716

15

2221

182019

3641

403937

35

Plussulien

38

Poulancre

343330

32

2931

43 42

45

48

464447

Musée de la Préhistoire

Larmor-Baden

14

11 1312

13

48

49

COTES D'ARMOR

MORBIHAN

Lanvaux

Brittany's Major Megalithic Sites 1 Kerloas Menhir - Tallest Menhir 3 Barnenez - Largest Megalithic Cairn48 Carnac - Largest concentration of Megaliths49 Champ-Dolent - World's second-highest Menhir50 Roche-aux-Fées - World's largest Dolmen

The coloured numbers on the map correspond to the colour and

number at the top of each page.

50

WESTERN FINISTERE

MENEZ AREZ

MENEZ DU

GUINGAMP AREA

FOREST OF DUAULT

ARGOAT

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS

DAOULAS & POULANCRE

FOREST OF LANVAUX

CARNAC STONES

B r i t t a n y

Pont-l’Abbé Bénodet

N12

N12

N165

N165

N165

N165

N165

N165D768

N166

N166

N24N24

N24

N12

N12

N176

N12

N12

D767

N164

N164

D766

D766

D767

D767

D76

8

D768

D70

0

D70

0

D10

D786

D786

D786

D887

D887

D765

D78

5

D785

D10

D58

D58

D788

D17

D16

D17

D17

D764

D764

D8

D778

D8

D16

D793

D793

D35

D17

D790

D8

D8

D786

D7

D766

D10

D69

N164

D790

D768

D768

D30

D764

D764

D764

D764

D78

5

D78

5

D769

D769

D42

D42

D36

D769

D769

D769

D1D1

D15

D1

D765

D107

D2

D784

D36

D783D765

D765

D31

D11

D782

D18

D44

D768

D78

5D

36D

36

D783D

770

D770

D791

D18

D765

D62

D26

D27

D4

D22

D2

D2

D779 D77

8

D4

D768

D767

D767

D767

D9

D6

D787

D787

D790

D775

D1

D1

D6

D44

D6

D792

D791D22

D22

D7

D787

D11

D79

0

D767

D1

D786

D23

D7

D783

D3

D5

Carantec

Camaret-s.-Mer

Brennilis

Guipavas

Daoulas

Crozon

Commana

Landivisiaule Folgoët

LesnevenPloudalmézeau

Plougastel-Daoulas

Sizun

Roscoff

St-Pol-de-Léon

Cléguérec

BubryBannalec

le Faouët

Moëlan-s.-Mer

Larmor-Plage

Plouay

Pont-Aven

Scaër

Callac

Bourbriac

Belle-Isle-en-Terre

Carhaix

Berrien

Huelgoat

Locarn

Quintin

Rostrenen

Moncontour

Etables-sur-Mer

Loudéac

Lamballe

Plouha

Plœuc-s.-Lié

Uzel

Paimpol

Corlay

Bégard

GuingampLouargat

la Roche-Derrien

LannionTréguier

Perros-Guirec

Trégastel

Rohan

LocminéBaud

Plumelec

Theix

Auray

QuiberonSarzeau

Damgan

Carnac

Coray

Concarneau

Rosporden

Douarnenez

Pleyben

Brasparts

FINISTERE

Plestin-les-Grèves

Brignogan-Plage

Porspoder

Plouarzel

Locquirec

St-Jean-Brévelay

le Conquet

Erdéven

St-Renan

Argol


Menez Du

Me n e z A r e z

Odet

Aven

Elorn

Aul

ne

Sc

orff

Blav

et

Bla

vet

Leff

Tri

eux

Jaudi

Ellé

Plourin

Plouézoc’h

Morgat

Lohuec

Pédernec

Duault

St-Servais

Maël-Pestivien St Gilles

Pligeauxle Vieux-Bourg

Plésidy

Plouharnel

Bannalec

BREST

Landerneau

Châteaulin Spézet

St-Goazec

LocronanGourin

Quimperlé

Plouray

Inguiniel

Inzinzac-Lochrist

LORIENT

QUIMPER

Pontivy

Crach

VANNES

Josselin

Trédion

Guerlesquin

Pontrieux

ST-BRIEUC

Mûr-de-Bretagne

St-Mayeux

Laniscat Dao

ulas

GouarecGlomelChâteauneuf-

du-Faou

Guémené-sur-Scorff

MORLAIX

A r g o a t

9


Caurel

Gavrinis

Musée d'Histoire et d'Archéologie

Menhir Brisé

4

5

1

2

7106

8

3

23

2827

26

24

25

1716

15

2221

182019

3641

403937

35

Plussulien

38

Poulancre

343330

32

2931

43 42

45

48

464447

Musée de la Préhistoire

Larmor-Baden

14

11 1312

13

48

49

COTES D'ARMOR

MORBIHAN

Lanvaux

Brittany's Major Megalithic Sites 1 Kerloas Menhir - Tallest Menhir 3 Barnenez - Largest Megalithic Cairn48 Carnac - Largest concentration of Megaliths49 Champ-Dolent - World's second-highest Menhir50 Roche-aux-Fées - World's largest Dolmen

The coloured numbers on the map correspond to the colour and

number at the top of each page.

50

WESTERN FINISTERE

MENEZ AREZ

MENEZ DU

GUINGAMP AREA

FOREST OF DUAULT

ARGOAT

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS

DAOULAS & POULANCRE

FOREST OF LANVAUX

CARNAC STONES

B r i t t a n y

FOREST OF DUAULT21


Covered AlleyToul an UrzDuault Duaod

The Toul an Urz covered alley sits on a hillside right on the edge of the Forest of Duault, near the hamlet of Kerangle. It is not surrounded by trees, which makes it easier to find than the other stones in the forest.

Toul an Urz ('le trou de l’ours' in French) means ‘bear hole’, which harks back to the days when wolves and bears roamed the forest. It is hard to tell whether the alley is half in ruins, or purposely built that way. Unusually, one of the three capstones slopes right down to the ground, and is thinner and much larger than the others. Traditionally, girls wanting to find a husband would slide down a sloping stone such as this one.

Directions: On the road from St-Servais to Duault, turn down a small track in the hamlet of Bourg-Neuf, for ‘Kerangle’. Near the top of the hill, and shortly before the road finishes, is the covered alley, in a field on the right. Alternatively, there is a splendid sunken pathway which leads to Kerangle from Linglay. See map p. 33.

FOREST OF DUAULT 22


Paotr SaoutLocarn Lokarn

To the south of the Forest of Duault is the more open terrain known as the ‘Landes de Locarn’. This picturesque, natural heathland is a haven for wildlife and Nature, with mag-nificent views and interesting rocky outcrops to explore. Near the hamlet of le Guellec, and just by the carpark which gives access to the heath and the ‘Gorges du Corong’, is

the fine menhir called Paotr Saout. It is known locally as the ‘Guardian of Locarn’, and is featured on all the sign-posts in the commune. There are several other menhirs in the vicinity, including a curi-ously-shaped stone (above), on the path to the Gorges du Corong.

Forest of Duault

Gorges du Corong

Landes de Locarn

Duault

Locarn

St-Nicodème

D31

le Guellec

St-Servais

P

P

menhir

menhir

FOREST OF DUAULT

ARGOAT23

Covered Alley at KernescopLohuec Lohueg

The ancient ‘allée couverte’ at Kernescop is close to the Forest of Beffou, and makes a rewarding visit. It is in the corner of a field and there is an exceptionally pleasant path leading up to it. The alley itself is somewhat in disrepair.

Calanhel

Kernescop

le MoulinQuélén

D28

D11

Lohuec

Callac

Plourac’h


ARGOAT ARGOAT 24


Roc’h Toul DolmenMaël-Pestivien Mêl-Pestiven

The area around the village of Maël-Pestivien is littered with standing stones and granite boulders. They fill people’s gar-dens, rise up in the middle of fields, and in some places line the roadway. The Roc’h Toul Dolmen is on a hill a few kilome-tres outside Maël Pestivien. It is signposted from the centre of the village and can be found without too much difficulty. The dolmen is on a bank between two fields, and there is a short path which leads to it from the road. Close by is another, squat stone known as a stele.

The two stones are in excellent condition and make for a very satisfactory visit.

Kerrolland

Coat Hamon

Ker Laurent

Maël-Pestivien

D20

D28D28

Kerien

St-Servais

St-Nicodème

ARGOAT25


Glomel MenhirsGlomel Groñvel

Glomel is home to one of the region’s most impressive menhirs - perhaps the third largest in Brittany (below). It is within walking distance of the village, in the aptly-named hamlet ‘le Menhir’. The stone is surrounded by trees, and there are picnic benches nearby. Unfortunately, direct access to the menhir itself is, at present, not possible, due to the presence of barbed wire fencing. There is also another, smaller menhir in the wood next

to the Château of Coat-Couraval (left).

le Menhir

Ste-Christine

Château de Coat-Couraval


Étang du Coronc

D5

D85

GlomelRostrenen Ker-Sioul

Kerblouzmenhir

menhir

ARGOAT

Cailouan MenhirPlésidy Plijidi

The Cailouan menhir is situated in the heart of Central Brittany, just south of the village of Plésidy, on the D5. It is well signposted and well maintained.

The menhir is set in a secluded, grassy area protected from the surrounding farmland by banks and trees. There is also a spring close by. At around 8 metres (26 ft) high, it is one of Brittany’s tallest menhirs, although some sources have mistakenly claimed it to be much larger.

Plésidy

Cailouan

D5

D767

D22

Bourbriac

Quintin

Guingamp

Magoar


Trolan

menhir

ARGOAT 26


ARGOAT27


Rossil MenhirSt-Nicolas-du-Pélem

Sant-Nikolaz-ar-PelemAlso known as the Menhir of Coat-Castel, this spectacular

stone can be reached by a short walk along a well-trodden path from Rossil, near St-Nicolas-du-Pélem. It is in an unspoilt setting amongst oak trees on the edge of the Bois des Tourelles.

It is over 7 metres (23 ft) tall and is said to be the fourth most substantial standing stone in Brittany.


D5

Plésidy / Bourbriac

Corlay / Quintin

Rostrenen

Rossil

menhir

D790

ARGOAT

Kergornec MenhirSt-Gilles-Pligeaux Sant-Jili-Plijo

The Kergornec Menhir stands at the top of a hill 280 metres above sea level. It is one of the tallest menhirs in the region, and commands splendid views over the surrounding countryside.

The stone is close to a farm in the hamlet of Kergornec, and is at the end of a steep track. A weath-ered oak tree is growing close to the stone, and there are several rocky boulders of unknown origin.

St-Gilles-Pligeaux

la Clarté

Kergornec

le Vieux-Bourg / Quintin

Corlay

D28

D767

menhir

ARGOAT 28


VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS29


Menhirs of theCroix de Pasquiou

le Vieux-Bourg Bourc’h-KintinThe two ‘Croix de Pasquiou’ menhirs, near the hamlet of

Pasqiou, are just beside the road which leads from Saint-Gilles to le Vieux-Bourg (formerly the main road from Quintin to Callac).

Both the stones are large and rounded, abruptly nar-rowing to a point. The second of the two is at present topped with a very large stone cross. There are numerous examples in Brittany of such ‘Christianized’ menhirs, but due to time and weathering, the neolithic monuments are once again regaining their original form.

Pasquiou

Penfel

Jarnay

D28

St-Gilles-Pligeaux

le Vieux-Bourg /Quintin

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS

Menhir near Pasquioule Vieux-Bourg Bourc’h-Kintin

The commune of le Vieux-Bourg is home to many megaliths, and particularly menhirs. The town is proud of its prehistoric past and all of the sites are accessible.

There is a very picturesque menhir near to the hamlet of Pasquiou. It is some way off the road, down a farm track. It is in the middle of a large field and is not much taller than a person.

Nearby, on the other side of the road, there is a little dolmen.

Both sites are often closely planted with crops, and can become obscured near harvest time.

D28le Vieux-

Bourg

PorzicPasquiou

menhir

St-Gilles-Pligeaux

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS 30




Porzic Menhirle Vieux-Bourg Bourc’h-Kintin

Just a little further down the road from the Pasquiou Menhir, is the imposing Porzic Menhir. The stone is set back a little way from the road, and is on top of a steep hill.

The setting is very striking; there is a fine view over the hilly country surrounding le Vieux-Bourg, and behind the stone is a remarkable collection of enormous granite boulders. It is difficult to know whether or not these stones are of natural origin or whether they reflect some megalith-related activity.

D i r e c t l y below the menhir is the hamlet of Porzic.

D28le Vieux-

BourgPorzic

Pasquiou

menhir

St-Gilles-Pligeaux

Kerdalmez

St-Gildas

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS

Menhirs near Botudole Vieux-Bourg Bourc’h-Kintin

The collection of megaliths around the village of Botudo is quite intriguing: the largest of the menhirs is extremely squat, and sits in the middle of an open field. Within a short distance of this, but on the other side of the road, there is another, slightly smaller menhir. A little further on, and in line with the menhirs, is a small tumulus, which is covered over with bracken. A glance at the map shows that the even-larger menhir at the Ville-Juhel is in the same line. A stone cross has been erected between the two stones at Botudo, adding another element to the ‘sacred line’.

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS 32




Pont-au-Prêtres Menhirle Vieux-Bourg Bourc’h-Kintin

Between le Vieux-Bourg and the hamlet of La Ville Juhel, is the Pont-au-Prêtres Menhir. It is in a field but clearly visible from the road. The stone is similar to the other menhirs in the region, but taller, measuring at least 5 metres (16 ft).

It seems to be in some sort of sequence with the two menhirs near Botudo, and the three taken together go from largest (Pont-aux-Prêtres), medium, smallest - and then the tumulus: it is impossible to know for certain what the significance of this arrange-ment might have been.

Quintin

St-Gilles-Pligeaux

St-GildasSt-Connan

D28

D28

D63

Tumulus

la Ville JuhelBotudo

Kernanouët

Keramel

le Vieux-Bourg

Pont-aux-Prêtresmenhir

menhirs

VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS 34VIEUX-BOURG MENHIRS

La Roche Longue

Quintin Kintin

The Roche Longue stands on a hill outside the picturesque medi-eval town of Quintin. There is a track which leads to the stone from the lake and small park just beside Quintin.

The menhir has a peculiar shape: although tall it is not very wide, and at its base it becomes so narrow that it is hard to imagine how the great weight above is being supported.

This menhir is one of the best known and most visited in Brittany. It is in very attractive surroundings.

Quintin

park

menhir

D28

D7

Cohiniac / N12

le Vieux-Bourg

D790 / Corlay


DAOULAS & POULANCRE35


Covered Alleys of Liscuis

Laniscat LanniskadThe countryside between Gouarec and Mûr-de-Bretagne

is characterized by steep hills, rocky slopes and fast-flowing rivers. Probably the most spectacular spot in the area is the Daoulas Gorge, where the river Daoulas cuts through a precipitous, gorse-clad rock formation.

This area has been quarried for its stone throughout recorded history, and in Neolithic times enormous slabs of the local schist were hauled to the top of the heights, and used to create the spectacular monuments which are known today as the covered alleys of Liscuis.

Liscuis I

DAOULAS & POULANCRE 35


There are three alleys in total (Liscuis I, Liscuis II and Liscuis III), all standing in natural heathland. They are in close prox-imity to each other and arranged in a triangle formation, with a covered alley at each point. Together, they make up one of Brittany’s most spectacular sites.

Liscuis II is the largest. Although it is almost completely buried beneath the ground, it is in excellent condition, and visitors can climb inside and over it with ease. Archaeologists have suggested that the three covered alleys were built at different times, and that the Neolithic people added to the site over many centuries.

There is a spectacular path which leads up the side of the Gorge, along the ridge and round the three monuments.

Liscuis III

Liscuis IILiscuis I

N164

Nantes/Brest Canal

D44

D76

DaoulasGorge

Caurel

Gouarec

Liscuis

Bon Repos Abbey

Laniscat

covered alleys

Liscuis II

Liscuis II

Liscuis III

Covered Alley at Coët-Correc

Caurel KaorelThe Coët-Correc covered alley is similar to those at Liscuis.

It is built from the local schist and situated on the side of a rocky hill overlooking the Lac de Guerlédan. Access is gained by a path leading through a wood and across a field. The megalith itself is half-buried in the ground.

There are a few things which make this site unusual: there is a hole, just large enough for a person to climb through, carved in the stones on one side of the structure. At the time of its con-struction, this hole must have been the only entrance and exit, and perhaps gives a clue to the size of the people who built these monuments. (It is now quite easy to scramble in and out because many of the stones have gone.)

Another peculiar feature of this site is a large, dry-stone arch which covers one end of the alley. It was built at the end of the 1800s by a religious farmer, and originally supported a cross. The arch collapsed during the site’s excavation, but it was renovated in 1987, and it still remains today, about half its original size.



Caurel

Coat Correc

Corn er Hoet

Corn Coat

Botminy Mûr-de-Bretagne

Lac de Guerlédan

Gouarec

N2164

N164

Coet-Correc,early 1900s

DAOULAS & POULANCRE 37DAOULAS & POULANCRE


Porz Guillo MenhirCaurel Kaorel

The fine menhir of Porz Guillo overlooks the hamlet after which it is named. It is tilting to one side, but has not moved in living memory. The menhir is on top of a steep hill, and a little further on is a second stone, called the Menhir of Ty Min.

Caurel

CornCoat

Botminy

Mûr-de-Bretagne

GouarecN164

Porz Guillo

Ty MinToull Du

Bodenhours

N2164

St-Mayeux

menhir


DAOULAS & POULANCRE38Menhir du BourgSt-Mayeux Sant-Vaeg

St-Mayeux is a small town in the rocky heathland be-tween the Poulancre and Daoulas rivers, close to the famous prehistoric axe factory at Quelfennec. The village is very proud

of its heritage, and there are several megaliths in the area.

There is one menhir within the limits of the town itself - the Menhir du Bourg - on the rue du Menhir which leads out to St-Gilles-Vieux-Marché. It is not particularly large, but is attractively situated in a mown field. The menhir is made from rough schist, and is close to the road.

church & yew at St-Mayeux

la Croix

Mur-de-Bretagne

Corlay

D767

D767

Laniscat / Gouarecc

Saint-Mayeux

St-Gilles-Vieux-Marché

D69menhir

DAOULAS & POULANCRE 39DAOULAS & POULANCRE


Mein al Has and the Tombeau du Gaulois

St-Mayeux Sant-VaegThere are several megaliths in the area around the Roc’h

ar Lein - a high point close to St-Mayeux (and now topped with a radio antenna). A small path leads from the road into a thicket, and past the tumulus ‘Tombeau du Gaulois’ (above). Further on is the ‘Mein al Has’ (Rock of the Cat) (below), a large, irregular menhir, which is worth a visit in its own right. (For directions, see map overleaf.)



Roc’h ar Lein St-Mayeux Sant-VaegThe most famous

menhir of the St-Mayeux area is named after the hill upon which it stands, ‘Roc’h ar Lein’ (Rock of the Summit). It is sur-rounded by large rocks, and stands today in a conifer plantation. The menhir is easy to find, as it is in the very middle of the path leading up the hillside.

Kertanguy

Mur-de-Bretagne

Corlay

D767

Mein al Has

Roc'h ar Lein

tumulus

Saint-Mayeux

la Croix

le Rohanno

CLEGUEREC 41DAOULAS & POULANCRE


Bot-er-MohedCléguérec Klegereg

‘Bot er Mohed’ lies on the edge of the forest of Quénécan, and must once have been a place of some importance: the covered alley is over 18 metres in length, and is made from huge stones. One end is ruined, but the other is still in excellent condition. The monument is in a beautiful setting, in a grassy field, and close to Breuil du Chêne (above), the highest point of the forest. The site affords a fine view over the surrounding area.

‘Bot er Mohed’ means Fairy Grotto in Breton - a common theme in local names for dolmens and covered alleys.

Cléguérec

Bot er Mohedla Madeleine

Kerdréan

Quénécan Forest

Breuil du Chêne P

D15

D18

St-Aignan

Silfiac

D15


FOREST OF LANVAUX42Jean Babouin

TrédionThe forest of Lanvaux, near Trédion,

north of Vannes, has a peculiar resident: Jean Babouin (below).

This unique figure has always been counted as a megalith - even though there are no similar megalithic remains else-where. The stone upon which the figure is carved does resemble a menhir, but no one can say for sure to what period the carving itself belongs.

There is another stone a few metres away which is known as Jeanne Babouine (above). (Directions opposite page)

FOREST OF LANVAUX 43FOREST OF LANVAUX


Loge aux LoupsTrédion

The semi-ruined covered alley, the ‘Loge aux Loups’ (House of the Wolves) is one of the most unusual megaliths in Brittany. Archaeologists are intrigued by its mixture of styles, which combine a classic table ‘dolmen’, with a row of stones propped up against one another underneath, to create an interesting underground cave... perhaps once inhabited by wolves. It is set in beautiful woodland, between the forests of Lanvaux and Kerfily.

The Lanvaux area is home to many other megaliths; a traveller in the early 1800s described it as ‘a vast heath-land, scattered all over with fallen menhirs’.

Trédion

D133

D1

D1

Elven

Plumelec

Bois de Kerfily Bois de

Lanvaux

Lerman

La Loge aux Loups

Babouin & Babouine

P


CARNAC STONES44Kerzerho Alignments

Erdéven An ArdevenCarnac, and the surrounding

countryside, contains by far the greatest concentration of megalithic remains in Brittany, or, indeed, the world. The region has over half of Brittany’s individual menhirs, countless dolmens, and some enormous cairns - but it is the remarkable rows of standing stones that have made it famous.

The Kerzerho alignments, in the commune of Erdéven, are one of the most rewarding sites to visit in the area. They are less well known than the alignments in Carnac itself, and are not fenced off, allowing visitors to walk amongst the stones at any time of the day or night. The menhirs can be accessed from the Erdéven-Plouharnel road, which actually cuts through the Alignment at one end. There is an impressive collection of menhirs on either side of the road, and a little further on, down a path, are another group of much larger stones, known as the ‘Géants de Kerzerho’. The top of one of these has been strangely smashed by repeated strokes of lightning. The path continues and leads on to several other megalithic sites in the area. (Directions, page 64)

CARNAC STONES 45CARNAC STONES


Lost Stones of Kerzerho

Erdéven An Ardeven

The Kerzerho alignments continue for another two kilometres, through a land of woods and heath.

A specially-made path passes close to the stones in several places, affording visitors an excellent oppor-tunity to explore them. The path leads past the dolmen at Mané Braz, and on to the dolmen at Mané-Groh. (see map overleaf).

There are two other important concentrations of menhirs between Erdéven and Carnac. These are the alignments of Ste-Barbe, and the Vieux Moulin, both in the commune of Plouharnel. They are the vestiges of much larger alignements - but still well worth seeing.

(Directions page 64)

Carnac

Plouharnel

Erdeven Ploemel

Ste-Barbe

Vieux-Moulin

Kerzerho

le Ménec Kermario

KerlescanPetitMénec

D781

D781

D768

D105

D119

Map of menhir alignments in the Carnac region.


CARNAC STONES46

Mané Braz & Mané GrohErdéven An Ardeven

The dolmens of Mané Braz (above) and Mané Groh (below) are both well worth a visit. Mané Braz, as its name implies (large hill), occupies a high hill, near the village of Kerbernès. It was excavated by the famous Carnac-born archaeologist, Zacharie le Rouzic, in 1923, who found pottery and a few tools.

Mané Groh (also known as Mané Croch) is near the village of Crucuno, and stands beside the road. It is surrounded by trees and is still in good condition. Its name means ‘The Sorceress’ Hill’.

Crucuno

KerzerhoKeredo

Erdeven

Mané Braz

f o r e s t s t o n e s

Kerzerho alignment

P

P

Kerbernès

St-Sauveur

Plouharnel / Carnac

D781

D105

Mané Groh

CARNAC STONES 47CARNAC STONES


Dolmen of CrucunoErdéven An Ardeven

The dolmen of Crucuno is another very well-known Breton megalith; it is amongst the most photographed in the region, and its distinctive shape features on many brochures and books about Brittany. The dolmen is in the centre of the Crucuno hamlet, pressed up against the gable of an old farm building.

At one time, the monument was much more extensive and there was a long covered alley leading to the main dolmen. Much of this has been dismantled over the past few centuries, presumably to meet the need for building stone in the village. What remains today is a snug enclosure, covered with one massive capstone – high enough for a person to stand without stooping.

This megalith, which seems strangely unworldly in its modern setting, has been incorporated into village life in various ways over the past 200 years.(For directions, see facing page.)


CARNAC STONES48

The Great AlignmentsCarnac Karnag

The alignments situated to the north of Carnac attract many more visitors than any other megalithic site in Brittany.

There are four separate groups of stones. The most westerly is at Ménec, and contains well over 1,000 stones. Next is that of Kermario: here the stones are larger, and extend over a length of 1,100 metres. Thirdly, there are the Kerlescan Alignments, which comprise around 380 menhirs; and, finally, those at Petit-Ménec, which are probably just an extension of the Kerlescan rows. The first three groups are now surrounded by a fence, and access is limited.

In all cases the menhirs tend to be larger on the higher ground to the west, and become smaller as the ground slopes away. The stones are found in nine to eleven parallel rows, which wind across the countryside. In general, they are less well-shaped than single menhirs, and many are larger at the top than at the base.

For directions, see map on page 63.During wintertime, there is free access to the stones, but in the tourist season access is very limited. For more information, call: 02 97 52 29 81

A welcome rest can be found at one of the ‘P Chevillard’ tea shops in the Carnac vicinity:CARNAC VILLE 2 rue du Tumulus - Tel: 02 97 52 05 56CARNAC PLAGE Avenue Miln - Tel: 02 97 52 01 27LA TRINITE-SUR-MER Cours des Quais - Tel: 02 97 55 86 34

CHAMP-DOLENT 49CARNAC STONES


Champ-DolentMenhir

Dol-de-BretagneDol

The menhir at Champ-Dolent is another world-famous Breton megalith. At nearly 10m (32 ft) it is close to being the tallest standing stone in the world. (It is generally agreed that this stone is fractionally smaller than the menhir at Kerloas, page 15.)

The stone, which is made of pink granite, was brought from a quarry 4km away. At one time it was surmounted by an iron cross - but all trace of this has now disappeared. The small, polished stone at its base has been a companion of the great menhir for as long as anyone can remember. The menhir is within sight of Dol-de-Bretagne, the city founded by Saint Samson and the spiritual capital of Brittany.

There are many legends surrounding this stone. One tells how a battle was once fought here between two feuding brothers. When the fighting was at its height the menhir sprang up between the two sides, and amazed by the miracle, the armies ceased fighting and made peace.

Menhir

N176

D4

D4

Dinan

AvranchesDol-de-Bretagne

Combourg Epiniac

le Champ-Dolent

P


ROCHE AUX FÉES50

Roche-aux-FéesEssé Ezieg

The Roche aux Fées, just south of the city of Rennes, is the largest and most well-preserved dolmen structure in the world today, giving it an historical significance on a par with Stonehenge or the pyramids of Egypt. It is built from enormous pieces of red Cambrian schist, originally excavated from a rock formation 4km from the current site. The stone passage is 20 metres long, and high enough to walk in with ease.

Traditionally, lovers would come here at twilight, and proceed round the monument in opposite directions; they would count the stones, and if the numbers they obtained were within two of each other, their marriage would be a happy one.

The Roche-aux-Fées is set in well-kept parkland, and sur-rounded by the last trees of the ancient forest of Rouvray.

Essé

D41

D92 la Roche

la Couyere

Rennes

Roche aux Fées

P

Janzé

D99

D99

D341

Theil-de-Bretagne

DOLMEN OF ROC’H TOUL 36 ROCHE AUX FÉES


MENHIR SIZESIt is hard to ever give an exact size for a menhir. The ground around the stone can

change so dramatically even over the course of a few years, that it would be impossible to give a precise figure.

The following heights are mainly based on sizes given by the archaeologist Pierre-Roland Giot, in the book Bretagne des Megalithes. Otherwise they have been obtained from measurements quoted by Gwenc’hlan Le Scouezec in Bretagne Megalithique, and

from individual reports on the Internet.


Babouin (Trédion) 1.42mBotudo, tallest (Vieux Bourg) 4m Caillouan (Plésidy) 8mChamp-Dolent (Dol) 9mCloître (le) (Huelgoat) 6mCroas an Teurec, tallest (St-Goazec) 2.8mCroix de Pasquiou (Vieux Bourg) 4m Dent de St-Servais 7mKercoutois Menhir, (St-Servais) 3.7m Glomel (hameau du Menhir) 9m Jumeaux, les (St-Servais) 4.3m & 3m Kerampeulven (Berrien) 5.1m Kergadiou (Plourin) 8.75m Kergornec (St-Gilles) 7m

Kerguezennec (Bégard) 6m Kerloas (St-Renan) 9.5m Mein al Has (St-Mayeux) 3.35m Paotr Saout (Locarn) 4.7mPasquiou (Vieux-Bourg) 3.5m Pedernec 7.5mPergat (Louargat) 7.5m Pont-aux-Prêtres (Vieux-Bourg) 5.2m Porzic (Vieux-Bourg) 6mRoc’h ar Lein (St-Mayeux) 4.35mRoche Longue (Quintin) 7m Rossil (St-Nicolas-du-Pelem) 7m St-Jean (Scaër) 7mTrimen (St-Goazec) 4.1m Wedding Party, tallest (Brasparts) 1.6m

19m

18m

17m

16m

15m

14m

13m

12m

11m

10m

9m

8m

7m

6m

5m

4m

3m

2m

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MENHIR SIZES

Glossary Breton - English

More InformationMuSEuMS:Musée de Préhistoire, 10 Place de la Chapelle, CARNAC. A unique collection of megalithic jewellery, tools, and artifacts. The museum is dedicated to the two great archaeologists - James Miln and Zacharie Le Rouzic, whose finds and research form the core of the museum’s exhibits. Closed Tuesdays. Tel: 02 97 52 22 04. www.museedecarnac.comMusée d’Histoire et d’Archéologie de Vannes, 2, Rue Noé 56000 VANNES. A fascinating collection of exhibits mainly from the Morbihan megalithic monuments. Tel: 02 97 01 63 00

WEBSITES: The Internet makes an ideal forum for people to exchange photos and information about otherwise little-known megalithic sites. There are numerous websites about Brittany’s stones - with more coming on-line all the time. A selection has been included below.www.megalithes-breton.fr Breton megalith site, in French.www.montcocher.com This site features some of the stones near Carnac, and southern Brittany.www.megalithic.co.uk The megalithic portal - information and maps for Europe’s megaliths.www.shadowsandstone.com A photographic guide to the megaliths of Ireland and elsewhere.

BOOKS:La Bretagne des Mégalithes, Pierre-Roland Giot. Éditions Ouest France. Excellent French guide to almost every one of Brittany’s menhirs and dolmens.Megalithic Brittany, Aubrey Burl. Thames and Hudson, London. The first English guide to Brittany’s megalithic stones. Unfortunately, now out of print.Traditional Fairy Stories of Brittany, Bethan Lewis. A collection of twenty-seven traditional Breton fairy stories. www.nezertbooks.net. Published 2007.


an thear thearzh (urz) bear bihan littlebras (braz) big du blackenez islandeured weddinggavr (gavre) goatgwazh (goaz) streamgwrac’h (groh) sorceresshent roadhir longkarn cairn, tumuluskastell (kastel) castlekazh (has) catkêr (ker) villagekoad (c’hoat, coat, coet, goat,

koat) forest korrigan pixiekroaz (croaz) crosslein height

leskiñ (lescan) burninglok (loc) hermitagemaen, mein stone(s)maen - hir (menhir) long stonemane (mané) hill, moundmarv (mario) deadmeineg (menec) stony place menez montainmeur greatmor seapaotr-saout cowherdpark (parc) fieldpenn (pen) headlandpeulvan (peulven) stone, menhirplou parishporzh (pors) farmyardroc’h rocktaol (dol) table, flattaol-maen (dolmen) table stoneti (ty) housetoull (toul) holetri three

GLOSSARY

Modern Breton words associated with traditional names for megaliths.

alignments 8; Lagatjar 18; Lostmarc’h 19; Wedding Party 20; Croaz-an-Teurec 27; Guingamp area 32; Vieux-Bourg 49, 50; Ker-zerho 62-64; Carnac 66

allée couvert see covered alleys

Argoat 40-45Babouin 60Barnenez, cairn 17bears 38Beffou, forest 40Bégard 30Berrien 23Botudo, menhirs 49, 50Bot-er-Mohed 59Brasparts 20Brennilis 25Brest 15Breton, place names 12;

glossary 71Breuil du Chêne 59Cailouan Menhir 43Cairn 8; Barnenez 17Camaret-sur-Mer 18Carnac 10, 11, 62-66Carnac Alignments 66carvings 6, 24Castel-Rufel 28Caurel 54, 55Champ-Dolent Menhir 67Christianized menhirs 10, 11,

46, 54, 67Cléguérec 59Coat-Couraval, Chateau 42Coët-Correc, covered alley 54Commana 24covered alleys 7, 8; Mougau-

Bihan 24; Ty ar Boudiged 25; Castel-Rufel 28; Toul an urz 38; Kernescop 40; Liscuis 52-53; Coët-Correc 54; Bot-er-Mohed 59; Loge aux Loups 61; Mané Braz 64; Mané Groh 64; Roche-aux-Fées 68-69

Croaz an Teurec Alignment 27Croix de Pasquiou Menhirs 46Crozon 19; peninsular 18, 19Crucuno, dolmen 65Daoulas and Poulancre 52-59Daoulas Gorge 52-53Dent de Saint-Servais 35Dol-de-Bretagne 67, 70Dolmen 8, Mougau-Bihan

24; Ty ar Boudiged 25; Castel-Rufel 28; Toul an urz 38; Kernescop 40; Roc’h Toul 41; Pasquiou 47; Liscuis 52-53; Coët-Correc 54; Bot-er-Mohed

59; Loge aux Loups 61; Mané Braz 64; Mané Groh 64; Crucuno 65; Roche-aux-Fées 68-69

Duault 38Duault, forest 33-35, 38-39Erdéven 62, 63, 64, 65Essé 68fairies 9, 25fertility rites 9, 15, 23Finistère 14 - 19folklore 9Forest of Beffou 40Forest of Duault 33-35, 38-39Forest of Lanvaux 60-61Gavrinis 6giants 9, 24, 28, 35Glomel menhirs 42, 70Gorges du Corong 33, 39Gouarec 52Grand Menhir Brisé 9Guardian of Locarn 39Guingamp area 30-32Huelgoat 22, 23Jean Babouin 60jewellery 10Jumeaux, les 34Kerampeulven Menhir 23Kercoutois forest Menhir 33Kergadiou Menhirs 15Kergornec Menhir 45Kerguezennec Menhir 30, 32Kerloas Menhir 14-15, 70Kernescop, covered alley 40Kerzerho Alignments 62, 63, 64Lagatjar Alignments 18Landes de Locarn 39Laniscat 52-53Lanvaux, forest 60-61Le Cloître, menhir 22Les Jumeax 34Liscuis, covered alleys 52Locarn 39Locmariaquer 9Loge aux Loups 61Lohuec 40Lostmarc’h, alignment 19Louargat 32Maël-Pestivien 41Mané Braz 64Mané Groh 64map, Brittany 36-37megaliths, around the world 7Mein al Has Menhir 57Menez Arez 20-25Menez Bré 31Menez Du 26-29menhirs 8; Western Finistère

14-19; Menez Arez 20-25; Menez Du 26-29; Guingamp Area 30-32; Forest of Duault 33-39;

Argoat 40-45; Vieux-Bourg 46-51; Daoulas & Poulancre 52-59; Forest of Lanvaux 60-61; Carnac Stones 62-66

Menhir du Bourg, St-Mayeux 56Montagnes Noires 26-29Monts d’Arée 20-25Morgat 19Morlaix 17Mougau-Bihan 24Noce de Pierres 20Paotr Saout 39Pasquiou, menhir 47passage grave see covered

alleysPedernec Menhir 31, 32Pergat Menhir 32Plésidy 43Plouezoc’h 17Plourin 16Pont-aux-Prêtres Menhir 50Porz Guillo Menhir 55Poulancre 56Quénécan Forest 59Quintin 51Rennes 68Roc’h ar Lein 57, 58; menhir 58Roc’h Toul Dolmen 41Roche Longue, la 51Roche-aux-Fées 68-69Rossil Menhir 44Saint-Gilles-Pligeaux 45Saint-Goazec 26, 27, 28Saint-Jean Menhir 28, 29Saint-Mayeux 56-58Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem 44Saint-Renan 15Saint-Servais 33, 34, 35Scaër 29sea 16, 17, 18, 19Solstice, Summer 29tallest menhir 15, 70Tombeau du Gaulois 57Toul an urz 38Trédion 60, 70Trimen Menhir 26tumulus 8, Botudo 49;

St-Mayeux 57Twin Menhirs 34Ty ar Boudiged 25Ty Min Menhir 55Vieux-Bourg Menhirs 46-51Wedding Party Alignment 20Western Finistère 14-19


IndexINDEX

Types of MegalithAlignment: Standing stones arranged in lines.

Dolmen: ‘Table stone’, huge stones arranged in a ‘table’ shape.

Menhir: Single stone, often tapering towards the top, sometimes exceptionally tall.

Covered Alley: Series of dolmens arranged to form a covered passageway.

Cairn: Stones piled up over dolmens or covered alleys.

Brittany’s MegalithsClassified by RegionMap, centre pages. Table of Contents, page 5

Western Finistere Famous for its exceptionally tall and well-formed menhirs. 1 - 5

Menez Arez A wild area of heath and moorland containing many unspoilt megalithic sites. 6 - 10

Menez DU Many smaller stones and unusual alignments have survived in this area, perhaps because of its relative remoteness in historical times. 11 - 14

GUinGAMP AreA The rich farmland around Guingamp is home to three unusually-tall menhirs, aligned with each other though several miles apart. 15 - 17

FOrest OF DUAULt The largest collection of menhirs in Central Brittany is clustered around the Forest of Duault. 18 - 22

ArGOAt ‘The Land of Woods’, the traditional name for Central Brittany, is dotted with stones, many of which are virtually unknown to the outside world. 23 - 28

VieUX-BOUrG MenHirs A small commune in which an unusual number of menhirs have survived. 29 - 34

DAOULAs & POULAnCre The high ground between these two rivers is home to some of the most important megalithic sites in Brittany. 35 - 41

FOrest OF LAnVAUX Vannes is one of the ancient centres of Breton culture, and the megaliths in the forest to the north of the city have been well documented over the centuries. 42 - 43

CArnAC stOnes Carnac is home to the most extensive collection of megaliths in the world, comprising thousands of standing stones in intricate alignments, dolmens, cairns, covered alleys, and single menhirs. 44 - 48

A tour of Brittany’s megaliths gives a unique insight into an ancient civilisation about which we know virtually nothing. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, never to be forgotten.

Brittany is home to the majority of the world’s most significant megalithic sites - including the world’s tallest menhirs, the world’s largest dolmen, the world’s largest collection of standing stones, and the world’s largest cairn.

This full-colour guide includes:

detailed information on over •50 megalithic sites

easy-to-use maps and •directions

history and folklore •associated with the megaliths

a summary of what is •known about the megalithic civilisation

5€ ₤4.50

Roche-aux-Fées

The Great Alignments,Carnac

Kerloas Menhir31 feet

Lagatjar Alignments

Champ-Dolent Menhir30 feet

Cairn at Barnenezc. 7000 BC

Liscuis

Cailouan Menhir

26 feet

St-JeanMenhir

23 feet

megalith guide

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