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<< Our Photo Pages >> Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus - Chambered Tomb in France in Normandie:Calvados (14)

Submitted by TheCaptain on Monday, 02 January 2006  Page Views: 11421

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus Alternative Name: Tumulus Colombiers-sur-Seulles
Country: France
NOTE: This site is 1.922 km away from the location you searched for.

Département: Normandie:Calvados (14) Type: Chambered Tomb
Nearest Town: Caen  Nearest Village: Colombiers-sur-Seulles
Latitude: 49.296700N  Longitude: 0.4943W
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

jopplanje Traumrealistin would like to visit

foz750 visited on 19th Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5 After a busy day looking at WWll history, I managed to get away and find some ancient history. A wonderful site with great access, signage and parking. The site is full of ambiance and well worth a visit.

DrTrojan visited on 1st Jul 2012 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 5

johnstone visited on 22nd Jun 2009 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

TheCaptain visited on 23rd Apr 2005 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 A long barrow which has been excavated and destroyed several times in the past but which has recently been restored to some form of its former glory by local enthusiasts. It is situated about half a kilometre east of the village just beyond the menhir signposted in a little copsed area just south of the road. The barrow is about 50 metres in length and about 9 metres in width at the narrow west end and 18 metres width at the wide eastern end with an orientation of 280°. It is about 5 metres in height at its maximum and has several drystone walled sections running around it. In the middle of the mound is a little circular burial chamber about 2.5 metres in diameter with its entrance chamber running from the north side at an orientation of 010°. The chamber is made using 6 large upright stones with drystone walling between them but how much is now original is not known. The view along the entrance chamber does not see over the local horizon which is just a hundred metres or so distant. At the smaller western end there is a pair of large upright stones set into the external wall and as far as I can find once formed the entrance to another smaller burial chamber. This is obviously now a well looked after and cared for monument set within a fenced off area using rustic fencing and also within the area are a mock up of an ancient oven and some hearths. with drystone walling between them but how much is now original is not known.

neolithique02 have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.25 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 5

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus on a frosty midwinter sunrise. (Vote or comment on this photo)
A long barrow near the village of Colombiers-sur-Seulles, between Caen and Bayeux just inland from the D-Day beaches of Calvados, which has been excavated and partially destroyed several times in the past, but which has recently been restored to some form of its former glory by local enthusiasts. This is the oldest dated stone monument in Normandy, and has been dated to between 4000 and 4200 BC.

It is situated about half a kilometre east of the village, just beyond the menhir, signposted in a little copsed area just south of the road. The barrow is about 60 metres in length, and about 9 metres in width at the narrow west end, and 18 metres width at the wide eastern end, with an orientation of 280°. It is about 5 metres in height at its maximum, and has several drystone walled sections running around it.

In the middle of the mound is a little circular burial chamber, about 2.5 metres in diameter, with its entrance chamber running from the north side at an orientation of 010°. The chamber is made using 6 large upright stones, with drystone walling between them, but how much is now original is not known. The view along the entrance chamber does not see over the local horizon which is just a hundred metres or so distant.

At the smaller western end, there is a pair of large upright stones set into the external wall, and as far as I can find, once formed the entrance to another smaller burial chamber.

This is obviously now a well looked after and cared for monument, set within a fenced off area using rustic fencing and also within the area are a mock up of an ancient oven and some hearths.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Position of site taken from gps reciever
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Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by neolithique02 : Tumulus de Colombiers-sur-Seulles Image copyright: Néolithique02, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by neolithique02 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by TheCaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus, Calvados. The circular burial chamber in the northern side of the mound. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by neolithique02 : Tumulus de Colombiers-sur-Seulles Long barrow in Normandy. Image copyright: Néolithique02, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by theCaptain : Composite picture showing the Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus from the north, taken just after solstice sunrise, (behind seamist) 22 Dec 2011.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by theCaptain : Composite picture showing the Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus from the southeast, taken just after solstice sunrise, (behind seamist) 22 Dec 2011.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : Plan of other local megaliths, from the sign at Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : Overview of the site of Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus, showing the newly made parking area, and the very nicely tidied up site as a whole.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by TheCaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus, Calvados. View of the west end of the mound.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by johnstone : Close up of the chamber, June 22, 2009

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by Flickr : The tumulus of Colombiers-sur-Seulles Site in Normandie:Calvados (14) France Image copyright: DameBoudicca (Rebecca Bugge (DameBoudicca)), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : The eastern end of Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus at midwinter sunrise. The low sunlight streaming through the trees of the surrounding copse creates a striking light pattern along the side of the tumlus. (2 comments)

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by foz750 : Site in Normandie:Calvados (14) France

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by foz750

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by foz750

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by TheCaptain : Winter Solstice sunrise, 22 Dec 2011 at Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus. Not as spectacular as I had hoped due to a bit of seamist and some inland cloud.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : The central burial chamber and the western end of Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : Plan of the Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by thecaptain : The newly erected sign at Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by TheCaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus. View westwards along the recently restored mound.

Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus
Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus submitted by TheCaptain : Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus, Calvados. View of the south side of the mound.

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 741m SSE 149° Amblie necropole Barrow Cemetery
 921m W 270° Menhir des Demoiselles (Colombiers-sur-Seulles)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.0km SW 231° Menhir des Planches* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.9km ENE 78° Menhir dit Pierre Debout (Reviers)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 4.1km ESE 114° Menhir de la Demoiselle de Bracqueville* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 6.3km SE 131° Les Grosses Devises (W)* Standing Stones
 7.0km SE 130° Les Grosses Devises (E)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 7.8km SSE 151° Pierre Tourneresse, Cairon* Chambered Tomb
 10.3km ESE 118° Mathieu necropole Barrow Cemetery
 10.3km ENE 79° Luc-sur-Mer menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 11.5km SSE 155° Rots necropolis Barrow Cemetery
 14.4km ESE 114° Les Pierres Branlantes* Chambered Tomb
 15.4km W 261° Musée Baron Gerard Museum
 15.6km SE 142° Musée de Normandie* Museum
 15.6km ESE 119° Blainville-sur-Orne necropole Barrow Cemetery
 17.0km SSE 157° Menhir dit la Pierre Couchée (Louvigny)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 18.7km SSE 149° Fleury-sur-Orne necropolis* Barrow Cemetery
 21.5km S 182° Nécropole mérovingienne à Évrecy* Ancient Village or Settlement
 24.1km WSW 246° Domaine de Castillon* Ancient Village or Settlement
 24.3km SSE 157° La Hogue* Chambered Tomb
 24.5km SSE 155° La Hoguette* Chambered Tomb
 24.6km SSW 209° Pierrelaye menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 28.3km SSE 160° Pierre Tournante (Fresnay-le-Puceux)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 32.5km SSE 158° Pierre Tourneresse (Gouvix)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 34.7km SSE 150° Bretteville-le-Rabet* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
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"Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by Anonymous on Saturday, 29 June 2013
On May 19, 2013, my husband and I went to the tumulus of Colombiers-sur-Seulles. My camera immediately died and I had to replace the batteries, but I didn't find that too strange as my camera consumes batteries rapidly. We took photos and poked around for maybe 45 minutes.



We left there and drove to Arromanches, a few miles away, to see the D-Day movie there. It was there that I discovered my watch was about 20 minutes slow. The second hand was still moving so I knew the battery had not died, and I knew the watch had been keeping correct time all day, so I thought maybe my battery had just started to die and I'd have to replace it.



I reset the watch to the correct time and we watched the movie. For the rest of the day, the watch kept correct time.



The next day, my watch was still keeping correct time. We realized that it must have slowed down while we were at the tomb. He suggested we go back and see if the watch would lose time again.



On May 21 we returned. As I walked toward the tomb I could actually see the second hand pause for a second or two about every 15 seconds. I walked into the little chamber and the hand resumed moving normally, with no pauses. It also ran normally when I stood on top of the mound. But when I started walking back to the car it again kept pausing frequently for one or two seconds at a time. The distance from our car to the tomb was maybe around 50 feet, and the watch started losing time when I was maybe 20 feet or so away from the tomb, and continued doing this until I got to the car.



Comparing my watch to our car clock, I lost 2 minutes over a 10-minute time span. This is less of a time loss than occurred on our first visit. I wonder if the weather had an effect? It was lightly raining on May 19 but just damp on May 21. On both days I was there in mid-afternoon.



We then drove about a half-mile or mile up the road to a single standing stone on a slight rise. It's over 6 feet high and a sign said people traditionally would place coins on top of the stone if they wanted to marry within the year. A large crucifix now stands between the menhir and the tomb. My watch did not lose any time at the menhir.



So, my question is, has anyone ever noticed their watches briefly stopping at old sites? If a tomb can drain a camera battery I guess it's not so odd that it would drain a watch battery as well, though I've never noticed this happening anyplace else I've been, even Stonehenge and Avebury, and I spent HOURS in Avebury circle.




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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by TheCaptain on Saturday, 31 December 2011
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My notes from 22 Dec 2011

Off the ferry at Ouistreham stupid oclock in the morning about 5:30am, 2.5 hours before the solstice sunrise, and I didn't feel up to driving straight to my sister's, so came here, which enabled a couple more hours sleep in the car before the sun rose.

I woke before the sun came up, and it was all misty and cloudy, so went back to sleep, before Dad woke me up later, with the sun just rising in a gap. It was a mix of sea fog, and high cloud inland, but there was a little gap allowing the weak sun to rise between the trees. No splendid gold and shadow effects like the other year.

This place is now well looked after, and kept nice and tidy. Lovely to see.
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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by TheCaptain on Thursday, 27 October 2011
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seen here on streetview


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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by TheCaptain on Monday, 15 January 2007
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Having recently visited many Cotswold Longbarrows, and looked up many details of them and their construction, I have to say how much this place reminds me of one of those. Its dimensions are very similar, the false entrance at one end, the lateral burial chamber and the dry stone walling making the structure....

Makes you wonder about the connections between the people in what are now Normandy and the south west of England 6000 years ago.
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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by TheCaptain on Wednesday, 04 October 2006
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Further update, Sept 2006. A splendid and informative new sign has been erected here, not only giving lots of information about the tumulus and finds within it, but also plans and detatils of other nearby sites. The new car park has been finished off and the site tidied up further. Its lovely to see this site being looked after so well, contrary to some of its neighbours.
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Re: Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus by TheCaptain on Saturday, 31 December 2005
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A further visit to this tumulus in December 2005, shows further development. There has now been a car parking area created within the little woodland, and a concrete base for a large signpost has been created. The tumulus is also now signposted from nearby villages.
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