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La Caune de l'Arago
Trip No.205 Entry No.86 Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Sep 2005
La Caune de l'Arago submitted by thecaptain on 16th Dec 2005. In a very pretty part of the world up on a cliff face above the vinyards, this is the cave where the skull of Tautavel man, one of the oldest known Europeans, was found.
This is of course all shut off to the public with buildings and shelters around it, as the excavations and research continue, 35 years after the finding of the ancient skull.
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Log Text: In a very pretty part of the world up on a cliff face above the vinyards, this is the cave where Tautavel man was found. Its a kilometer or so south of the town, up on a rugged hill near where the river cuts a gorge through the hills. This is of course all shut off to the public with buildings and shelters around it, as the excavations and research continue, 35 years after the finding of the ancient skull.
La Butte du Hu
Trip No.202 Entry No.10 Date Added: 25th Mar 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn
Country: France (Normandie:Calvados (14))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 23rd Apr 2005
La Butte du Hu submitted by thecaptain on 8th Oct 2006. Plan of La Butte du Hu, Ernes, as shown on the sign at Colombiers-sur-Seulles.
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Log Text: North of the village of Ernes several hundred metres up a farm track from the hamlet of Vey d’Ifs on the top of the ridge this large chambered tumulus can be seen just within a field growing crops so I did not enter.
La Borne-Percée
Trip No.204 Entry No.222 Date Added: 4th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bourgogne:Yonne (89))
Visited: Yes on 4th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
La Borne-Percée submitted by thecaptain on 29th Nov 2006. In the Houssaye forests, high above the Yonne river southeast of Sens, and near to the village of Les Auberts can be found this menhir at a junction of forest tracks.
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Log Text: In the Houssaye forests, high above the Yonne river southeast of Sens, and near to the village of Les Auberts can be found this menhir at a junction of forest tracks. Its very small, only 1.3 metres tall, but mounted on a plinth and easy to find. Near to the top is a hole which has been cut through it, to which legends and stories are aplenty.
La Bertrandoune Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.113 Date Added: 6th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 22nd May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3
La Bertrandoune dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 18th Jan 2011. This is a big single chambered dolmen about 3 m by 2 m a single capstone sitting on top of three uprights with still a good amount of its mound surrounding it.
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Log Text: Further still round the “Circuit des Dolmens” after driving for miles along the rough stone mountain tracks and bashing my way through the undergrowth after several signposted things to see including several of the little huts they have round here and I come to this dolmen. By now I have realised that this “Circuit des Dolmens” is a walking circuit and not for driving round let alone doing it in reverse in a campervan and am getting desperate to get out of these woods and onto a proper road again which rather spoiled the enjoyment of what would be a lovely afternoons walk !.
This is a big single chambered dolmen about 3 m by 2 m a single capstone sitting on top of three uprights with still a good amount of its mound surrounding it. But there's no time to enjoy it I want to get down !
La Bertinière
Trip No.202 Entry No.53 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 1st May 2005
La Bertinière submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. La Bertinière, La Sauvagère, Orne.
I estimate it to be about 10 cow lengths long, and a cow high.
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Log Text: Despite being a monument of national historic importance and signposted as such half a kilometre walk from the main road I assume a new farmer has taken up residence and all the fields are now well fenced off with barbed and electric wire and countless signs so I wasn’t able to pay a proper visit. It can however be seen to the south of the main road west of the village and was in a field of cows. It looks to be a fairly large monument much bigger than most in these parts. I estimate it to be about 10 cow lengths long and a cow high.
La Berthellière
Trip No.202 Entry No.33 Date Added: 26th Mar 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 29th Apr 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
La Berthellière submitted by TheCaptain on 8th May 2005. La Berthellière polissoir, Montenay, Mayenne.
A lovely polissoir stone which has been polished fantastically smooth by thousands of years of stone tool making.
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Log Text: A lovely polissoir stone found a couple of kilometres southeast of the village of Montenay near to the town of Ernée in Mayenne. The stone is signposted and found in a little wooded area about 50 metres down a lane from the farm of the same name.
The stone is flat on the ground about 2 metres in length and about half to three quarters of a metre wide. It has 3 big polishing bowls several sharpening grooves and several other polished features. It is a very hard looking stone which has been polished fantastically smooth by thousands of years of stone tool making.
I am starting to really like these polissoir stones they really bring the ancient people to life sitting here polishing away at their axes and tools. They say far more than any dolmen or menhir to me.
La Baraque Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.182 Date Added: 19th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Aveyron (12))
Visited: Yes on 28th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
La Baraque dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 19th Dec 2005. This is a nice little dolmen still well contained within its mound which can be found about 150 metres down the footpath to the north of the road to Baraque Farm
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Log Text: This is a nice little dolmen still well contained within its mound which can be found about 150 metres down the footpath to the north of the road to Baraque Farm / Gite about 150 metres before you reach it. The chamber is only about 2 metres in length, 1 metre wide and 1 metre high, much smaller than a lot round here, but it is very neat, and has a little information sign.
La Baraque de l'Estrade
Trip No.205 Entry No.222 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4
La Baraque de l'Estrade submitted by johnstone on 12th Apr 2020. The capstone in the middle is gone, gives a good look inside, July 22, 1999
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Log Text: Further along the D.35 from Montmirat, just before the junction with the D.31, a decent sized tumulus can be seen in the fields on the left, about 80 metres from the road. The mound is oval, about 15m by 12m and up to 2 m high. In the centre of this is a sort of double dolmen, with two joined chambers, each having two side slabs and a capstone. The western of the two has a backstone, while the eastern has a drystone walled end. The total length of the chamber is about 6 metres, and up to 2 metres wide at the centre. The floor to the chambers is paved, and there is not much more than a metre in height below the capstones. The two chambers do not align directly, but the general orientation is east to west, at about 100°, and the chambers are completely contained within the mound. This has of course been restored, but a very nice find.
L'Usteau du Loup
Trip No.204 Entry No.196 Date Added: 24th Aug 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Auvergne:Puy-de-Dôme (63))
Visited: Yes on 27th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4
L'Usteau du Loup submitted by thecaptain on 10th Sep 2006. On a little granite outcrop, near to the village sports ground, surrounded by high hills, it sits under an oak tree.
This is a megalithic monument which has been used for thousands of years, and was used until recently as a sort of changing room for the village football team which plays on the nearby sports field !
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Log Text: To the south of St-Gervazy, near to the hamlet of Unsac, can be found the remains of this fine dolmen, perhaps the largest in the region, and which is signposted from nearby. On a little granite outcrop, near to the village sports ground, surrounded by high hills, it sits under an oak tree.
The chamber is rectangular, 5 metres long by 3 metres wide, is constructed with three granite side slabs each side, and opens to the east. There is in place one very large backstone, along with one smaller one. Unfortunately there are no capstones in place, although one lays fallen behind the chamber with another one nearby. The dolmen would have been almost tall enough to stand up in, and is much larger than any other dolmens I have seen round here.
This is a fine place for a wolf to live, and there are many legends and stories associated to the place. This is also a megalithic monument which has been used for thousands of years, and was used until recently as a sort of changing room for the village football team which plays on the nearby sports field !
L'Oeuf de Gargantua
Date Added: 18th Sep 2010
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Manche (50))
Visited: Yes on 26th Apr 2007
L'Oeuf de Gargantua submitted by thecaptain on 26th Apr 2007. L'Oeuf de Gargantua is a granite stone which looks like a granite egg.
There are many legends and folk tales associated with it.
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Log Text: None
L'Hotié de Viviane
Trip No.204 Entry No.12 Date Added: 4th Jul 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Bretagne:Ille-et-Vilaine (35))
Visited: Yes on 10th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3
L'Hotié de Viviane submitted by TheCaptain on 6th Jun 2007. The site was excavated in 1982/1983, when pottery and polished axes were found, and it was carbon dated to about 3000 BC.
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Log Text: This can be found about a kilometre walk from the same car park that is used to visit the Tombeau des Géants, but in the other direction. It is signposted. Just below and to the north of a ridge with tremendous views can be found this little grave, about 3 metres long and 1 metre wide, made with 1.5 metre tall side slabs. It is enclosed within a 12 metre diameter stone cairn with a ring of stones around the outside. It is supposedly a rarity in Brittany, but reminds me of a more complete version of the smaller tombelles near to the Rocher de Bono.
The site was excavated in 1982/1983, when pottery and polished axes were found, and it was carbon dated to about 3000 BC. It is also know b ythe name "Tombeau des Druides.
L'Etoile allée couverte
Trip No.204 Entry No.58 Date Added: 11th Jul 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Couldn't find on 13th Jul 2005
L'Etoile allée couverte submitted by Ogham on 19th Jan 2012.
The site is at 47 50.252N 003 00.745W taken with a hand held GPS.
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Log Text: After all the time spent looking for the previous stones, I thought that I'd best not go on another long walk through the forest to try and find this one. My notes and books say that it is difficult to find, so I left it alone.
L'Eléphant
Trip No.200 Entry No.84 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop
Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 3
L'Eléphant submitted by johnstone on 22nd Nov 2018. In front of the granite elephant on Sep.12, 2018
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Log Text: Celebrated rock formation thought to represent an elephant, in the Sidobre region to the east of Castres.
L'Aurière menhir
Trip No.204 Entry No.310 Date Added: 12th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Couldn't find on 12th Aug 2005
Log Text: This menhir is by the little picnic area at the place where I was stopped from turning by another car going into there.
L'Armor menhir
Trip No.203 Entry No.567 Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Couldn't find on 24th Jun 2005
L'Armor menhir submitted by theCaptain on 19th May 2014. The "classic" view of this menhir, taken from a few metres inside the garden having nipped up the driveway a bit.
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Log Text: This menhir is in a private garden with a massive thick hedge surrounding it. I didn't get to see the stone, but it is supposedly about 2 metres in height.
L'Armor menhir
Trip No.214 Entry No.21 Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 17th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5
L'Armor menhir submitted by theCaptain on 19th May 2014. This menhir is in a private garden which had a huge and thick hedge around it, making the menhir difficult, if not impossible to see. However, since my last visit, the (presumably new) owners of the house have cut the hedge beside the road, and indeed made a gap through which the menhir can now be clearly seen.
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Log Text: This menhir is in a private garden which had a huge and thick hedge around it, making the menhir difficult, if not impossible to see. However, since my last visit, the (presumably new) owners of the house have cut the hedge beside the road, and indeed made a gap through which the menhir can now be clearly seen. The menhir is a pointed piece of granite, between 2 and 3 metres tall. A win for all.
L'Armoirie menhir
Trip No.204 Entry No.62 Date Added: 11th Jul 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Couldn't find on 13th Jul 2005
L'Armoirie menhir submitted by Ogham on 20th Jan 2012. Site in Bretagne:Morbihan (56) France
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Log Text: I could not find the forest track which leads to this menhir, again there are no signposts obvious, and this stone is not even marked on the ign 1:25000 map, so I didn’t spend long looking.
Supposedly it’s a 1.5 metre tall menhir that has been broken, standing to the southwest of the alignement, between the D.779 and L'Armorie crossroads. So the menhir would be less imposing than most of the stones in the alignement.
L'alignement d'Espiaub
Trip No.205 Entry No.68 Date Added: 26th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment
Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3
L'alignement d'Espiaub submitted by thecaptain on 8th Oct 2005. A view looking up the most readily identifiable stone row on Mail de Soupene mountain high up above Bagneres-de-Luchon.
This row is perhaps double, with a possible parallel row just at the edge of and in the bracken to the left.
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Log Text: I have seen nothing definite about what is to be found up here, but it is possible to imagine/envisage that there are perhaps 4 or 5 lines of stones running across the hillside, with one or more crossing them, but it is very difficult to know exactly what is what. I walked down from the second set of cromlechs to something I could see, and found a manhole cover for a little cattle trough reservoir !
Looking back up the hillside from here, I would swear that I can see lines of stones coming down the hill from the first set of cromlechs. The stones are all in the bracken, but the bigger stones stand out above this. I think I can see 4 or 5 parallel rows of stones running down the hillside, with the stones looking evenly spaced. They extend to beyond where I am - perhaps 500 metres or more in total length, and I would estimate about 20 metres between rows. This is very difficult to photograph. But am I seeing things ? Not for nothing is there something up here called the Espiaube alignments.
While searching around on the slopes for closer signs of the parallel rows, and I still believe that I can see them, I clearly see a row running up and down the slope, across the lines of possible alignments. The top of the row starts at a spring, which has several large stones standing within a little pool, and continues downslope for about 100 metres, with perhaps more lost in the thick bracken. The stones are spaced evenly, about 8 metres apart from each other. I started to count the stones while walking up from the bottom, but part way up I am sure I saw another line running in parallel with the obvious one. The second line is in the bracken, while the first is in clear grass, as if lots of people have walked up and down here. This all reminds me very much of various Dartmoor and Exmoor rows.
L'Affiloire de Gargantua
Trip No.202 Entry No.59 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
L'Affiloire de Gargantua submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. Pierre de Gargantua, Craménil, Orne
A four metre high shaped menhir in a field near a marshy area, and perhaps with a spring close by.
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Log Text: A four metre high shaped menhir in a field to the north of the little lane running west from Chêneduit to Craménil. It is across a field near a marshy area and perhaps with a spring close by. Many other stones lay around in the area.
l'Accomodement Menhir
Trip No.204 Entry No.102 Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Couldn't find on 16th Jul 2005
l'Accomodement Menhir submitted by TheCaptain on 28th Aug 2013. This menhir is about 3 metres in length, but only a metre high. I think probably it is broken.
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Log Text: Somewhere between a new major road junction and a railway junction, in farmland. I tried, including driving round many farm tracks, but could find no signs of this at all.