Featured: Ark of Secrets - Neolithic spirit alive in the Middle Ages

Ark of Secrets - Neolithic spirit alive in the Middle Ages

Das Raetiastein GPS by Thomas Walli

Das Raetiastein GPS by Thomas Walli

Who's Online

There are currently, 191 guests and 0 members online.

You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here

Sponsors

<< Our Photo Pages >> Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) - Passage Grave in France in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35)

Submitted by AlexHunger on Saturday, 25 September 2004  Page Views: 25402

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) Alternative Name: La Roche Aux Fees
Country: France Département: Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) Type: Passage Grave
Nearest Town: Rennes  Nearest Village: Essé
Latitude: 47.936300N  Longitude: 1.4042W
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
5 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 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

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

PAB SumDoood jopplanje KieKa foz750 would like to visit

aolson visited on 20th Jul 2020 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 We started our 5 day trip to Brittany with visit to the world's oldest publicly accessible cave paintings, visited 142 megalithic sites, and ended with the world's largest dolmen structure. What a way to finish!

oldman visited on 14th Oct 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 This Dolmen is vast. Why it is possible to drive up and walk round it without paying anything is a mystery in these mercenary times. When you first walk through the trees and see it, it is quite breathtaking. It is such an enormous construction.

w650marion visited on 20th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5 This feels so good. I can close my eyes and be transported back - the lovely dark pink red stone. So big! It seems that it has this effect upon everyone who visits. Easy to find from the village of Essé, which has parking and toilets!

PhrozenTime visited on 28th Aug 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5 A nice visitors centre with a video about the site.

rrmoser visited on 29th May 2017 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 massive structure. Great ambiance in the rain.

Chrus visited on 1st Jan 2015 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4

43559959 visited on 23rd Apr 2014 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Jansold visited on 28th Jun 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

johnstone visited on 20th Jun 2013 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Jimwithnoname visited on 23rd Sep 2010 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5 After viewing numerous pictures of this on the web, I felt a strong urge to reach this site. A calling if you like. Like with a few powerful sites I've visited, my journey is usually a tough one. Be it getting lost and stressed or battling really bad weather, this site proved no exception to those circumstances. Upon arrival I was truly humbled by it's enormity, but the pains of my journey were soon forgotten when I thought of the labour that went into building this chamber. Truly one of the most amazing ancient structures I've seen.

TheCaptain visited on 3rd Jun 2010 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5 June 2010 visit to France to see my sister, and as usual I had my Dad with me. I had decided on a long detour to visit La Roche-aux-Fées, but before we came here, I had told him nothing about it, except to say we were going to visit somewhere special. He is well used to me taking him to old stones all over the place, often on wild goose chases in woods and across fields finding nothing. But not this time. This monument is now presented quite differently to when I previously visited in 2005, with a large new car park and visitor centre in what would have been fields to the south. Unfortunately, the visitor centre was closed, being open at weekends and holidays only this time of year until July and August when it becomes daily. I have read that this centre is very good, and with a decent book and gift shop. From the visitor centre, a pathway leads through a nicely landscaped area towards the monument itself, which is hidden behind trees and hedges, until you round the end of a hedge (with a large fallen stone at the corner), and then there it is, in all its splendor, viewed towards the wonderful portal entrance. Even on my second visit here, it is awe inspiring, especially the work on the portico, which is over 4500 years old and still completely level. My Dad was well impressed too, and couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “Oh My!, How can this be so big? What’s this for?” he asked. “It can’t be just to bury somebody in. All these separate room bits? Why? It’s a bit like the side chapels in a Cathedral”. Pretty much my thoughts exactly, and it is good to hear these things coming from somebody else with no prompting. Somebody had made little piles of pebbles and other decorative bits and pieces placed at various places, which looked good. I am impressed by one of the massive capstones which seems to have been fitted exactly into a gap in the supporting side stones. This place is truly absolutely fantastic. I don’t have the words for it. The new field around the monument has been splendidly done, and gives it the space it needs. Only two other people came to visit in the time we were here, a large improvement over my previous August Saturday visit. One downside are the various noticeboards now erected here, stating that cracks have been found in some of the stones, and people should be careful and not climb on the stones. I hope that there is no bad damage to the place. What would the Fairies think?

TheCaptain visited on 13th Aug 2005 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Small notes only for this very well known and popular site, which I was originally thinking of saving to be my last megalithic visit of my whole 6 month tour. First thoughts, Aaaaarrrrrgghhhh, it's busy. And you pay to get in. Aaaarrrgghhhhh. Never mind, I have to see it. I decided not to take my book with me and write much, I'll just go and have a look and take some photographs. OK, it wasn't so bad as I first thought. After I had been here a while, most of the people had gone, and it was in fact free entry, but with a little shop and information shed you have to go through first. In fact, it's not a bad place at all. In actual fact, it's a truly fantastic place. It is really beautiful when not overrun by people. It is a massive Angevin dolmen, 20 metres long by almost 5 metres wide and 2 metres high. The main chamber is divided into four sections by three internal upright slabs. The entrance porchway is about 3 metres long, and fronted by the most lovely portico, consisting of two uprights and a lintel of carefully worked and positioned stone. It is truly awesome. This is definitely one to visit - but try not to come when everyone else has !

ShamrockStone negus neolithique02 pictstones Martin_L DrewParsons have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.58 Ambience: 4.75 Access: 4.67

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by AlexHunger : Roches Aux Fees viewed from North West (Vote or comment on this photo)
Massive Angevin dolmen / allée couverte near Essé in the Ille-et-Vilaine Département of Brittany, 20 metres long by almost 5 metres wide and 2 metres high. The main chamber is divided into four sections by three internal upright slabs. The entrance porchway is about 3 metres long, and fronted by the most lovely portico, consisting of two uprights and a lintel of carefully worked and positioned stone.

100 kilometers north of Nantes, near Retiers in the small commune of Essé, the more adventurous will encounter the Idyllic Roche Aux Fées, or “fairies Rock.” The site has been known for centuries but only recently made more presentable. Within the last couple of decades, the local commune, encouraged by the local priest, cleared the area and bought up a bankrupt local golf course to build a parking lot and small visitors center. There is an enthusiastic attendant there.

In its original state, Roche Des Fées, would have been a south east facing nearly 20 meter long barrow, with several large chambers. It is constructed with very large, nearly rectangular reddish brown basaltic blocks that give the site a very structured look. As it stands, it could be described as a mini Stonehenge, were it not for its roofed rectangular shape. It is said to be one of the largest sites in Europe. Originally, it would have been covered by a tumulus, which is now long gone. A couple of the medium sized stones are also displaced to the sides, a 300 year old oak growing over one of them. One of the roof slabs lost a small chunk due to degradation of the rock over 5,000 years, and this piece now lies on the floor of the middle chamber.

Roche Aux Fées served more as a grave, but rituals took place here, according to my pendulum. The cap stone at the entrance has a few indentations, in which blood traces have been found, which would have resulted from animal sacrifices. The South/East facing entrance points directly towards the winter solstice sunrise. The blocks were originally quarried 4 km away, according to the guidebook.

Update January 2019: The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for The Fairies Rock, La-Roche, Illet-et-Vilaine, Brittany, which includes local folklore, a description of the passage grave and a drawing.

Base Mérimée (Historic Monument)

Base Mérimée (Patrimonial Inventory)
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by Rubis : In the sixties. Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by AlexHunger : Roches Aux Fees viewed from East (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by AlexHunger : Roches Aux Fees viewed from South West (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by 43559959 : Image Name: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) A spectacular site to visit. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by pictstones : Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by pictstones

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by TheCaptain : The rear end and southern side of La Roche-aux-Fées.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by Martin_L : coloured crayon on paper i executed in 1993. (2 comments)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by neolithique02 : Main entrance

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by THE-STONER : the rock of the fairies...

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by postman : Dappled brilliance.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by TheCaptain : The northern side of this massive structure, seen with my Dad for scale.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by postman : Epic site in Bretagne Ille et Vilaine

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by TheCaptain : La Roche-aux-Fées

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by pictstones : Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by ShamrockStone : Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by 43559959 : Roche-aux-Fées (Essé). Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by Martin_L : Watercolour study i did in 1988.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by postman : The amazing entrance to the Roche aux my god Fees.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by postman : Taken whilst motor homing in 2004. My best burial chamber so far, all though Burl says no burials have thus far been found.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by pictstones : Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by Jimwithnoname : Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France (1 comment)

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by Martin_L : Taken in February 1991.

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)
Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) submitted by PhrozenTime : Roches aux Fées Site in Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35) France Interior of the site World's largest Covered Passage Burial site Image copyright: PhrozenTime/WAHLBRINKPhoto (Phil WAHLBRINK), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

These are just the first 25 photos of Roche-aux-Fées (Essé). If you log in with a free user account you will be able to see our entire collection.

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive map of the area

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 4.5km SW 215° La Pierre de Rumfort* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 6.5km SE 145° Pierrelet* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 6.5km SE 143° Dolmen de Pierrelet Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 6.7km WNW 291° Menhir de la Lande des Bouillons* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 7.3km WSW 248° Menhirs de la Métairie Neuve* Stone Row / Alignment
 7.6km WSW 245° Rimbergère Alignement de Menhirs Standing Stones
 8.5km SE 135° Pierre de Richebourg* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 10.5km W 259° La Pierre des Fées* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 12.4km SSE 162° Menhir de L'Ansaudière Standing Stone (Menhir)
 12.7km SSE 168° Les Perrières Standing Stone (Menhir)
 14.5km ESE 124° Pierre Marie Standing Stone (Menhir)
 15.3km SSW 191° Pierre Veillère* Standing Stones
 16.4km WSW 254° Menhirs du Sel* Standing Stones
 17.9km W 272° Menhir de Crévin* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 19.5km SW 230° Alignement dit les Pierres des Fées Stone Row / Alignment
 20.3km WNW 287° La Pierre du Diable (Orgeres)* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 21.4km WSW 250° Dolmen dit la Pierre Blanche* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 21.5km WSW 249° Pierre Longue (Bain-de-Bretagne)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 22.8km NNE 34° Pierre Blanche (Pocé-les-Bois)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 23.0km NNE 22° Villaumur menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 23.1km NNE 20° Menhir dit La Haute Pierre (Champeaux)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 24.9km W 271° Pierre du Grand Tua* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 25.0km SSW 196° Champ Des Louères Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 25.5km WNW 285° Pierre Qui Chôme Standing Stone (Menhir)
 26.4km N 356° Deux menhirs (La Bouexiere) Standing Stones
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Cnoc Pollphail

Ringstone Edge >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Robin Heath's Alexander Thom: Cracking the Stone Age Code

Robin Heath's Alexander Thom: Cracking the Stone Age Code

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"Roche-aux-Fées (Essé)" | Login/Create an Account | 11 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Roche-aux-Fées 3D Model by Andy B on Saturday, 20 March 2021
(User Info | Send a Message)
Roche-aux-Fées 3D Model

http://heritagetogether.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pid=12200#top_display_media
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by neolithique02 on Tuesday, 11 October 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)
More pics and videos here :
http://neolithique02.blog4ever.com/blog/photos-cat-65835-1948668023-nouveau___visite_du_dolmen_de_la_roche_aux_fees_a_.html
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by TheCaptain on Thursday, 10 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
La Roche-aux-Fées, Thursday 3rd June 2010.

My latest visit to France to see my sister, and as usual I had my Dad with me. I had decided on a long detour to visit La Roche-aux-Fées, but before we came here, I had told him nothing about it, except to say we were going to visit somewhere special. He is well used to me taking him to old stones all over the place, often on wild goose chases in woods and across fields finding nothing. But not this time.

This monument is now presented quite differently to when I previously visited in 2005, with a large new car park and visitor centre in what would have been fields to the south. Unfortunately, the visitor centre was closed, being open at weekends and holidays only this time of year until July and August when it becomes daily. I have read that this centre is very good, and with a decent book and gift shop.

From the visitor centre, a pathway leads through a nicely landscaped area towards the monument itself, which is hidden behind trees and hedges, until you round the end of a hedge (with a large fallen stone at the corner), and then there it is, in all its splendour, viewed towards the wonderful portal entrance. Even on my second visit here, it is awe inspiring, especially the work on the portico, which is over 4500 years old and still completely level.

My Dad was well impressed too, and couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “Oh My!, How can this be so big? What’s this for?” he asked. “It can’t be just to bury somebody in. All these separate room bits? Why? It’s a bit like the side chapels in a Cathedral”. Pretty much my thoughts exactly, and it is good to hear these things coming from somebody else with no prompting.

Somebody had made little piles of pebbles and other decorative bits and pieces placed at various places, which looked good. I am impressed by one of the massive capstones which seems to have been fitted exactly into a gap in the supporting side stones. This place is truly absolutely fantastic. I don’t have the words for it.

The new field around the monument has been splendidly done, and gives it the space it needs. Only two other people came to visit in the time we were here, a large improvement over my previous August Saturday visit.

One downside are the various noticeboards now erected here, stating that cracks have been found in some of the stones, and people should be careful and not climb on the stones. I hope that there is no bad damage to the place. What would the Fairies think?
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by Martin_L on Friday, 11 June 2010
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    Thanks for this excellent visit report. Have been there in February 1991 and would love to visit this site again (especially after reading your report ;)
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by TheCaptain on Sunday, 30 May 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
Before I hope to visit this again soon, here are my notes from my visit Saturday August 13th 2005.

Small notes only for this very well known and popular site, which I was originally thinking of saving to be my last megalthic visit of my whole 6 month tour. First thoughts, Aaaaarrrrrgghhhh, it's busy. And you pay to get in. Aaaarrrgghhhhh. Never mind, I have to see it.

Ok, it wasn't so bad as I first thought. After I had been here a while, most of the people had gone, and it was in fact free entry, but with a little shop and information shed you have to go through first. In fact, it's not a bad place at all. In actual fact, it's a truly fantastic place. It is really beautiful when not overrun by people.

It is a massive Angevin dolmen, 20 metres long by almost 5 metres wide and 2 metres high. The main chamber is divided into four sections by three internal upright slabs. The entrance porchway is about 3 metres long, and fronted by the most lovely portico, consisting of two uprights and a lintel of carefully worked and positioned stone. It is truly awesome. This is definately one to visit - but try not to come when everyone else has !
[ Reply to This ]

Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) Street View by SteveDut on Tuesday, 11 May 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)

View Larger Map
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by Anonymous on Monday, 10 August 2009
Im going to see this site later on today, i wasnt sure what to make of the idea at first but after reading this; im quite excited !!!
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by TheCaptain on Monday, 10 August 2009
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    I hope you enjoyed your visit, it is a very wonderful and magical place.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by stonetramp on Friday, 17 August 2007
(User Info | Send a Message)
What a fabulous site! I am already so in love with the West Kennet long barrow near Avebury, and this one is so remarkable, being exposed like this.

Marcel, I can see why you would love this place so much. I am going to check out your website.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by Anonymous on Monday, 19 December 2005
merci pour ces superbes photos et aussi de relater si bien une partie de notre histoire !

un elfe de la roche aux fées
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roche-aux-Fées (Essé) by Anonymous on Tuesday, 23 August 2005
One of my very favourite 'spots' in the World. My wife and I spent most of a day there in 1990. There was a light rain and no one else around; probably the most enchanting day of my life. Took dozens of photos and later did a painting from the photos and feelings and memories.....We also met a lady at the museum in the little town nearby who told us that in her childhood she had been selected to be the fairy at a summer festival and that the village priest had put a stop to this festival. She was still sad and wistful over the situation; just a beautiful lady. She showed us through the local museum and there was a wonderful 'green' relic found at Roche-aux-FeesWe have built a megalithic monument on our acreage in Canada. Must be something primal; I love those large stones.
Feel free to delete the following if you consider it spam. You may view our contribution to the megalithic world by checking out my web-site: http://www.starcenterart.com Thank you for creating this wonderful site. I plan to visit it often. Marcel Debreuil
[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>

We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.