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<< Our Photo Pages >> La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) - Passage Grave in France in Poitou:Charente-Maritime (17)

Submitted by TheCaptain on Tuesday, 22 February 2011  Page Views: 8392

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
Country: France Département: Poitou:Charente-Maritime (17) Type: Passage Grave
Nearest Town: Libourne  Nearest Village: Montguyon
Latitude: 45.227500N  Longitude: 0.1786W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

Martin_L DrewParsons CraigBabington would like to visit

oldman visited on 19th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Magnificent huge monument with impressive stones.

alchemille visited on 24th Jul 2013 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 5 La pierre folle (the mad stone) of Montguyon is and allée couverte of 16 m long, 4.20 high. The biggest stone is said to weight 30 tonnes. As often applied to megalithic sites, the main stone is said to tumble three times when the bell of Vassiac calls for the Xmas mass, hence the name: pierre folle. It is actually own by Jean Moucheboeuf, a local Pinot and Cognac producer. This monument is a good advertisement for the selling of local Pinot de la charente. La pierre folle was built about 5000 years ago. Easy to find, it is signposted when taking the D730 to Montguyon, or follow signs to l'Aire de loisirs Beau Vallon.

TheCaptain visited on 3rd Jun 2005 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 This superb monument is signposted to the north of the town of Montguyon, and has its own parking and picnic area. It is a double monument, with an Aquitaine allée-couverte combined with a dolmen. The allée-couverte part is massive, with a double chamber internally measuring 8 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and up to 2 metres high, facing east at 080°. The big capstone at the west end is 3 metres off the ground, 1.5 metres thick and is estimated to weigh 30 tonnes. The dolmen part of the monument at the western end is much more complex to make out, at first seemingly being just lots of large stones all over the place. Looking in more detail however, suggests that it has a simple chamber with an entry corridor facing to the north, and incorporates the back stone of the allée-couverte as its eastern side. These really are some impressive and lovely stones, and the angles of the capstones in particular are very striking. Some of the stones have fascinating holes and markings in them, many looking like they have been carved. And one of the stones at the entrance to the allée-couverte looks to be hollow, with a great big "chamber" within it. Quite a splendid place. Pity the weather while I was here left a lot to be desired, and made getting good photographs difficult. Well worth a visit, and just as I was about to leave, a coachparty turned up. There is a sign which states that there are supposedly several other monuments nearby, including two more called Pierre Folle.



Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.67 Ambience: 4.33 Access: 5

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : This superb monument is signposted to the north of the town of Montguyon, and has its own parking and picnic area. It is a double monument, with an Aquitaine allée-couverte combined with a dolmen. (Vote or comment on this photo)
This superb monument is signposted to the north of the town of Montguyon, and has its own parking and picnic area. It is a double monument, with an Aquitaine allée-couverte combined with a dolmen.

The allée-couverte part is massive, with a double chamber internally measuring 8 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and up to 2 metres high, facing east at 080°. The big capstone at the west end is 3 metres off the ground, 1.5 metres thick and is estimated to weigh 30 tonnes.

The dolmen part of the monument at the western end is much more complex to make out, at first seemingly being just lots of large stones all over the place. Looking in more detail however, suggests that it has a simple chamber with an entry corridor facing to the north, and incorporates the back stone of the allée-couverte as its eastern side.

These really are some impressive and lovely stones, and the angles of the capstones in particular are very striking. Some of the stones have fascinating holes and markings in them, many looking like they have been carved. And one of the stones at the entrance to the allée-couverte looks to be hollow, with a great big "chamber" within it.

Quite a splendid place. Pity the weather while I was here left a lot to be desired, and made getting good photographs difficult. Well worth a visit, and just as I was about to leave, a coachparty turned up.

There is a sign which states that there are supposedly several other monuments nearby, including two more called Pierre Folle.

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La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : The allée-couverte part is massive, with a double chamber internally measuring 8 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and up to 2 metres high, facing east at 080°. The big capstone at the west end is 3 metres off the ground, 1.5 metres thick and is estimated to weigh 30 tonnes. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by alchemille : La Pierre Folle de Montguyon. (Vote or comment on this photo)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : This superb monument is signposted to the north of the town of Montguyon, and has its own parking and picnic area. It is a double monument, with an Aquitaine allée-couverte combined with a dolmen. (Vote or comment on this photo)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain (Vote or comment on this photo)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : The dolmen part of the monument at the western end is much more complex to make out, at first seemingly being just lots of large stones all over the place.

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by ocdolmen : La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by oldman : Site in Poitou:Charente-Maritime (17) France Illustrating its enormous size

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by ocdolmen : La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : Looking outwards from the allée-couverte part.

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : Looking inwards along the allée-couverte part.

La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)
La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) submitted by TheCaptain : Noticeboard at La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 4.8km NW 320° Pierre Folle (Négrignac)* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 18.4km NNW 345° Dolmen de Baignes Sainte Radegonde* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 18.7km NW 313° La Pierre a Cerclet* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 19.4km WNW 289° Dolmen de Montendre* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 24.6km N 356° Dolmen du Gros-Caillou Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 29.1km SE 141° Menhir du Pizou* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 29.6km NNE 31° La Motte a Dognon* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 32.0km S 170° Le Megalithe de Picampeau a Lussac* Rock Art
 32.8km ENE 78° Abris de Badegoule Cave or Rock Shelter
 32.9km SSW 201° Abri de Saint-Germain-la-Rivière Cave or Rock Shelter
 32.9km SW 231° Grotte de Pair-non-Pair* Cave or Rock Shelter
 33.2km SW 231° Grotte des Fées (Prignac-et-Marcamps) Cave or Rock Shelter
 34.2km E 94° Les Pierres Noires* Stone Row / Alignment
 34.6km N 355° Dolmen dit Gros-Caillou Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 35.2km S 189° Menhir de Carré Standing Stone (Menhir)
 35.4km E 86° La Bourgeade* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 36.4km SSE 160° Peyre Lebade* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 36.6km SSE 158° Pierre Levée (Salles-de-Castillon)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 36.7km NNW 340° Tumulus du Cruchaud* Long Barrow
 37.1km SSE 159° Menhir de Clotte Standing Stone (Menhir)
 37.2km SSE 160° Dolmen de Puy Landry* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 37.3km NNW 340° La Pierre Percée (Sainte Lheurine)* Sculptured Stone
 37.7km S 183° Peyrefitte* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 38.4km SSE 162° Pitray Allée couverte* Passage Grave
 39.4km NNW 347° Saint Fort Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
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"La Pierre Folle (Montguyon)" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Re: La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) by Martin_L on Tuesday, 22 February 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)
Superb indeed. Thanks for great photos and detailed description, esp. regarding the collapsed part of it. I assume the "dolmen" was built first and the barrow was enlarged when the AC was added later?
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) by TheCaptain on Tuesday, 22 February 2011
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    According to the info on the noticeboard, the "Allée Couverte" came first, at 4500 years ago, followed by the "dolmen" just 4000 years ago. This would fit the basic layout of stones, where the dolmenic chamber has been built against the backstone of the allée couverte, but I have to admit, it does seem rather unusual for a dolmenic structure to be more recent than an allée couverte.
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: La Pierre Folle (Montguyon) by Martin_L on Tuesday, 22 February 2011
      (User Info | Send a Message)
      Thanks for your reply. Yes, I wondered at the dating too. Possibly the original eastern chamber slab was removed when the AC was built?
      [ Reply to This ]

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