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<< Our Photo Pages >> Grand Menhir Brisé - Standing Stone (Menhir) in France in Bretagne:Morbihan (56)

Submitted by TheCaptain on Monday, 03 January 2005  Page Views: 30698

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Grand Menhir Brisé Alternative Name: Men-er-Groach, Er Grah; Menhir Hroeg
Country: France Département: Bretagne:Morbihan (56) Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Auray  Nearest Village: Locmariaquer
Latitude: 47.571320N  Longitude: 2.950073W
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.
3 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

markj99 visited on 14th Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Grand Menhir Brise is one of Locmariaquer's big three sites. It is only accessible via the Site des Megalithes Visitor Centre for 6 euros. To be fair, there are three impressive monuments, unrestricted visiting time and free parking so what's not to like? Grand Menhir Brise consists of four massive recumbent stones which are though to have been parts of one of the largest ever menhirs, measuring c. 20 metres long. There is speculation as to whether the Grand Menhir Brise either broke on erection or as a result of an earthquake or was deliberately toppled. There is archaeological evidence of 19 socket holes forming a giant stone row, with Grand Menhir Brise as an end stone. Whatever the reality, there is no doubt that the Grand Menhir Brise is an impressive antiquity.

lichen visited on 29th Aug 2022 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 5

aolson visited on 18th Jul 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4 By far the most interesting of the three sites in the Locmariaquer complex. It would have been nice to be able to stand near the broken part to compare just how huge it is.

w650marion visited on 24th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

jopplanje visited on 14th Oct 2015 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Chrus visited on 1st Jan 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5

43559959 visited on 22nd Apr 2014 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

Jimwithnoname visited on 1st Sep 2010 - their rating: Cond: 5 A must see site. Entry is reasonably priced.

TheCaptain visited on 11th Jun 2005 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 3 Much has been written about this place by others already, and I wont spend valuable daylight by sitting and writing anymore for myself, except to say that it is all very different to what it was in 1987, and that the current thinking is that the Grand Menhir was once just one of 19 stodd up in a row, and was toppled deliberately after only a couple of hundred years. The othher menhirs were broken and used for other purposes.

johnstone visited on 8th Jun 2002 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

Orcinus visited on 1st Aug 1988 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Visited in 1988 during the Brittany project excavations

X-Ice visited on 17th Aug 1982 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

negus visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Catrinm visited - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 5

neolithique02 DrewParsons Andy B ermine davidmorgan rrmoser have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.29 Ambience: 4 Access: 4.58

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by ermine : Grand Menhir Brisé, Locmariaquer. A megalithic tragedy. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Remains of a once massive Menhir near Locmariaquer in Morbihan at more than 20 metres in length and 350 tons weight, unfortunately now fallen and broken into four pieces - probably the largest menhir in the world. There is an engraving of a axe on one of the pieces.

The latest theory for the 23 metre long Grand Menhir is that it was once an end stone in a row of 19 giant menhirs, which stood for only one or two hundred years. Then, for some reason, the menhirs were all toppled over and broken. The 19 socket holes have been excavated, and can be seen.

One theory suggests it would never have stood, but was broken while trying to erect it as it is just physically too big.

Another theory states that it would have been the centrepiece of a massive set of megalithic monuments which cover almost the entire Carnac and Gulf of Morbihan area, with various astronomical alignements being made.

The remains of many of the other stones were re-used as capstones etc for many of the large tombs and dolmens built round here, and many of these stone pieces are visible today, one of which makes the capstone for Mane Rethual.

Another of the giant stones forms the covers to three significant tombs, the nearby Table-des-Marchands and Er-Grah, and the 2 km distant (and across the water) Gavrinis. This is known because the stones have carvings on them, which can be seen to have once been one and the same, like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

The Journal of Antiquities features a page for La Grand Menhir Brise, Locmariquer, Morbihan, Brittany, which includes directions for finding the stone, together with a photograph, background and reference sources.

Base Mérimée (Historic Monument)
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Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by JJ : Er Grah tumulus, Grand Menhir Brisé, and La Table des Marchands, Locmariaquer. Aerial photo copyright JJ Evendon (Vote or comment on this photo)

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Jimwithnoname : Site in Bretagne: Morbihan (56) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Jimwithnoname (Vote or comment on this photo)

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by JJ : Grand Menhir Brisé (Vote or comment on this photo)

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Jimwithnoname : Site in Bretagne: Morbihan (56) France

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by DrewParsons : Photo showing the top three parts of the menhir with the Table des Marchand in the background.

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by DrewParsons : The middle two portions of the menhir.

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by DrewParsons : The longest portion of the menhir which is broken into four parts. I had not realised that this site now had controlled entry by ticket within normal working hours and so could only photograph it from the road. September 2009

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by JJ : Grand Menhir Brisé

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by JJ (2 comments)

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Swinside : Grand Menhir Brisé at Locmariaquer.

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Swinside

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by StoneLee : Very Grand indeed

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Postman : Site in Bretagne:Morbihan (56) France

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Postman : The row of post holes left by the all but one missing stones.

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by postman : Even from a mile away it still looks big. Taken whilst motor homing in 2004.

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by postman : So big you just wont believe it, Taken whilst motor homing in 2004

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Jimwithnoname : Site in Bretagne: Morbihan (56) France

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by padolo : Menhir of Men-er-groach 4 parts all long 20,40m 1912 - P.Jousset - La France Geographie illustreé - Paris Librairie Larousse Tome 1er

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Orcinus : Grand Menhir Brisé - I think, 1988

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by Orcinus : Young archaeologists at the Grand Menhir in 1988

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by TheCaptain : Locmariaquer Grand Menhir put back together and re-erected ! pic borrowed from Portail des Mégalithes de la Francophonie

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by 43559959 : Grand Menhir Brisé. Site in Bretagne:Morbihan (56) France

Grand Menhir Brisé
Grand Menhir Brisé submitted by 43559959

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 29m ENE 72° La Table des Marchands* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 116m NNW 340° Er-Grah tumulus* Chambered Tomb
 261m SE 128° Menhir La Motte de Beurre* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 297m NNW 345° Mane Lud Dolmen* Chambered Cairn
 304m SE 144° Mane-Rethuel Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 441m E 83° Mein Er Mere Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 662m SW 222° Kerlud Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.3km SE 137° Mané-er-Hroëck tumulus* Chambered Tomb
 1.3km SE 140° Menhirs de Mané er Hroëck* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 1.3km SE 132° Menhir de Mané er Hroëk 3* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 1.5km NW 320° Kervéresse Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.6km S 182° Pierres Plates (Locmariaquer)* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 1.7km WSW 252° Er Vil Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 2.1km SSW 206° Pointe Er Hourél Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 2.2km SE 133° Kerpenhir Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.2km SE 126° Menhir de Goémorent Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.3km WNW 294° Menhir de Kerguelvan* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.7km NNW 346° Dolmen de Kerlévarec Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 2.7km NE 49° Dolmens de la Presqu'île de Couédic Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 2.7km NW 322° Dolmen du Coët-Courzo* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 2.9km NW 314° Kercadoret Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 3.1km ESE 120° Bilgroix Point Menhir* Modern Stone Circle etc
 3.2km E 97° Île Longue tumulus* Chambered Tomb
 3.2km ESE 121° Bilgroix allée couverte* Passage Grave
 3.4km NNE 33° Dolmens de Mané-Ven-Guen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
View more nearby sites and additional images

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"Grand Menhir Brisé" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
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The Two Megalithic Lunar Observatories at Carnac, Thom, Thom, and Gorrie by Andy B on Tuesday, 18 July 2017
(User Info | Send a Message)
Title: The Two Megalithic Lunar Observatories at Carnac
Authors: Thom, A., Thom, A. S., & Gorrie, J. M.
Journal: Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. 7, p.11
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1976JHA.....7...11T/0000011.000.html
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Grand Menhir Brisé by ModernExplorers on Friday, 19 May 2017
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An overview of the stone alignments, filmed in 2016 with some great drone footage -
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Re: Grand Menhir Brisé by Anonymous on Saturday, 10 February 2007
"broken for some reason" : it was easier to cut the megalithic stones than to quarry rocks for building purposes , for example the fields walls for the herd of sheep . it is what I believe for 60 years .Look at the lanscape in Brittany . For example ERDEVEN , and many Houses and Calvarys .
Glad to visit your sites .Cecile .
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Grand Menhir Brisé by TheCaptain on Thursday, 03 November 2005
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This site is now very different to what it was when I last visited almost 20 years ago. Back then there was just the broken pieces of stone near the roadside. Now it has all been excavated and tidied up / restored, fenced off, got a visitor centre (with a good selection of books) and of course you have to pay (about €4) to get in !

The latest theory for the 23 metre long Grand Menhir is that it was once an end stone in a row of 19 giant menhirs, which stood for only one or two hundred years. Then, for some reason, the menhirs were all toppled over and broken. The 19 socket holes have been excavated, and can be seen.

The remains of many of the other stones were re-used as capstones etc for many of the large tombs and dolmens built round here, and many of these stone pieces are visible today, one of which makes the capstone for Mane Rethual.

Another of the giant stones forms the covers to three significant tombs, the nearby Table-des-Marchands and Er-Grah, and the 2 km distant (and across the water) Gavrinis. This is known because the stones have carvings on them, which can be seen to have once been one and the same, like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

This really is an amazing collection of megaliths, and anyone with an interest should visit.
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