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La Grosse Pérotte
Trip No.203 Entry No.48 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
La Grosse Pérotte submitted by thecaptain on 4th Jul 2005. The two Perotte dolmens, sitting proudly on their ridgetop by the ancient trackway.
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Log Text: There are several dolmens marked along a ridgetop to the west of the village of Fontenille, so I went for a look. The whole area abounds with tumulus and mounds perched on the hilltops. The map may have only 4 or 5 marked, but there are many more here. As I was parking to go walking along the ridgetop track signposted "Dolmens", A white van parked nearby, and out got a little old man, wondering if I was looking for the dolmens. When I said yes, and he realised I was keen, he went back to his van and got a folder out containing lots of pictures. He told me he was an archaeologist, and collected flints etc. He has thousands, all photographed and catalogued. Flint tools, axes, arrowheads, polished stone tools, some polissoir stones, some copper arrowheads, some pottery, a female goddess icon, through Roman coins and other remains, reight up to a royal seal from the time of Napoleon, all found round here. He was obviously very proud of his collection, and was interested that I was here and perhaps writing a book for the English. It was a pity I couldnt make myself fully understood to him, or him to me, but he was an excellent find ! We agreed that there were many many tomb remains round here, everywhere you looked you could see something, must be well into double figures without even trying.
About 50 metres further along the ridgetop trackway from La Petite Pérotte dolmen, is a second dolmen sitting on top of its mound, La Grosse Pérotte dolmen, and there is much more of it remaining. It has one of the biggest capstones I have seen till now, more than 5 metres by 5 metres and up to 2.5 metres thick, sitting on top of an exceptionally well made rectangular chamber, lined with stone slabs. Unfortunately the capstone has split, and collapsed at one corner. As with its neighbour, there are many large stones surrounding the remains of the mound. The main chamber is about 4 metres by 3 metres, and was once made with impeccably well fitted and squared slabs, more like a modern stone sided vault than an ancient dolmen, but unfortunately many of them are now collapsing under the weight of the enormous capstone, no longer supported by the mound around it. One of the stones has the remains of a carving in relief, which has been broken. All we are left with is two smoothed shapes, which look to me like a pair of legs, but I have since seen that they are thought to be hooks. On another of the stones is carved an axe, but I did not notice this. Outside of the main chamber are more stone slabs, perhaps the remains of secondary chambers, or more likely the remains of an entrance passageway. There was once a signpost here, but it has now been broken and gone missing. Just looking around from this place, there are mounds to be seen on hilltops everywhere you look. I must go and explore a few more of them.
La Petite Pérotte
Trip No.203 Entry No.47 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4
La Petite Pérotte submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. La Petite Pérotte.
A massive capstone, 4 metres long by 2.5m wide and 1.5 metres thick is sitting on top of several smaller support stones.
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Log Text: There are several dolmens marked along a ridgetop to the west of the village of Fontenille, so I went for a look. The whole area abounds with tumulus and mounds perched on the hilltops. The map may have only 4 or 5 marked, but there are many more here. As I was parking to go walking along the ridgetop track signposted "Dolmens", A white van parked nearby, and out got a little old man, wondering if I was looking for the dolmens. When I said yes, and he realised I was keen, he went back to his van and got a folder out containing lots of pictures. He told me he was an archaeologist, and collected flints etc. He has thousands, all photographed and catalogued. Flint tools, axes, arrowheads, polished stone tools, some polissoir stones, some copper arrowheads, some pottery, a female goddess icon, through Roman coins and other remains, reight up to a royal seal from the time of Napoleon, all found round here. He was obviously very proud of his collection, and was interested that I was here and perhaps writing a book for the English. It was a pity I couldnt make myself fully understood to him, or him to me, but he was an excellent find ! We agreed that there were many many tomb remains round here, everywhere you looked you could see something, must be well into double figures without even trying.
Remains of a nice dolmen splendidly positioned on top of a ridge, with many other dolmens and tumuli in the vicinity, a couple of kilometres to the southwest of the village of Fontenille in Charente. Walking southwest from the D.61 along the ridgetop trackway signposted "Dolmens", and after about 800 metres you get to the remains of La Petite Pérotte dolmen. A massive capstone, 4 metres long by 2.5m wide and 1.5 metres thick is sitting on top of several smaller support stones, which have been very well shaped into blocks to make a very regularly formed square chamber below. Just to the southeast is another smaller capstone, under which is what seems to be another little chamber. Perhaps this was once part of the entranceway to the chamber proper. It's all still on top of a small mound which has several large stones surrounding it.
Tumulus de Chateaurenaud
Trip No.203 Entry No.46 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th May 2005
Tumulus de Chateaurenaud submitted by TAUPIN on 15th Nov 2011. Site in Poitou:Charente (16) France
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Log Text: Another big obvious wood covered tumulus up on the hills above the village. But to get to this one would have meant quite a long walk from anywhere I could have parked and there was no obvious way to it so I did not bother as there are many others to explore locally.
Folatière Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.45 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Folatière dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. Folatière dolmen, the remains of a capstone in an orchard, to the northeast of the massive nearby tumulus.
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Log Text: Much wrecked remains of a dolmen, near to the hamlet of Bel Air, a couple of kilometres to the northeast of the village of Luxé in Charente. At first I assumed the dolmen would be part of the tumulus and so was disappointed that I could not get to see it. However later in the day having seen a detailed map of the area I saw that the dolmen was marked a bit to the northeast of the tumulus so I went for another look. This time I saw a large stone in an orchard area ao went for a closer look. It would appear to be the capstone of a dolmen lying on the ground at a very steep angle. I could not tell whether it was on its own or there were any support stones underneath.
Folatière tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.44 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th May 2005
Folatière tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 4th Dec 2005. Folatière tumulus can be seen from miles around and dwarfs the nearby farmhouse.
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Log Text: This tumulus is obvious it can be seen from miles around up on top of a hill all covered in woodland.I parked and walked up “Rue de Tumulus” but could find no way of closer inspection as its all fenced off private land. The tumulus is really massive though and dwarfs the nearby farmhouse. Shame as its marked on my ign map so must have something worth seeing.
Dolmen dit la Pierre du Sacrifice (Boixe)
Trip No.203 Entry No.43 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4
Dolmen dit la Pierre du Sacrifice (Boixe) submitted by thecaptain on 2nd Dec 2005. Pierre du Sacrifice (Boixe A) these days is just the capstone of the destroyed tumulus, once similar to Boixe B.
It has some very straight channels in the top, which are so straight and even that they must have been carved, rather than randomly shaped rain channels.
Dolmen dit la Pierre du Sacrifice (Boixe)
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Log Text: The remains of this monument can be found about 100 metres walk into the Forêt-de-Boixe from the parking place near the Tumulus de la Boixe, and signposted. These days it is basically just a capstone of a destroyed tumulus, once similar to Boixe, and is about 4 metres in length, 2 metres wide and a metre thick. It has some very straight channels in the top, which are so straight and even that they must have been carved, rather than randomly shaped rain channels, and this is what gives the stone its name (from the 18th century).
I could see no signs of any supports, although there is a lotof loose stone about. Not too long ago, this was supposedly the largest tumulus of the many in this region, 45 metres in diameter, and 4 metres high, but was destroyed in the 19th century in order to build the road. One of the support stones to the chamber was recorded to have had a carved crook on it. An older legend surrounding the tomb concerns the "little people" who used to live in it, who were so strong that they could carry the 15 tonne blocks with their bare hands.
Tumulus de la Boixe B
Trip No.203 Entry No.42 Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 5
Tumulus de la Boixe B submitted by thecaptain on 4th Jul 2005. In this region to the north of Angoulême are many, many megalithic remains, most of which are almost totally unknown.
This is one of the known sites, the well restored and truly lovely Tumulus de la Boixe, well worth a visit.
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Log Text: This wonderful tumulus can be found signposted just to the west of the D.116 as it runs through the Forêt-de-Boixe. Said to be one of about 15 such tombs here in the 19th century, but now mostly destroyed.
It’s a lovely tomb, which has been restored, with a chamber still contained fully within its cairn, which must be between 25 and 30 metres in diameter, with two walled and stepped rings around it. A large capstone is still visible from the top which covers the chamber. The entrance passage is slightly curved, and about 8 metres in length.
It looks to me as though many of the stones are new, and indeed some seem to be concrete slabs. There is a side chamber on the right as you go in, which has nicely carved entrance stones giving a fine rounded doorway, with a finely carved edging. Its all very dark inside and you need to take a torch, although the birds like it as it is for nesting inside. The chamber is rectangular, about 3 metres by 1.5 metres. The passageway into the main chamber is exceptionally well made, with most of the stones being very squared, which turns out to be a feature of many of the dolmens around here. The main chamber, more than 8 metres into the tumulus, is another rectangular structure formed with well fitting and squared slabs, and is about 5 metres by 3 metres, wit slab floorstones also.
At the opposite corner of this chamber to where the entrance is, is found another entranceway into a further chamber, this one being about 2 metres square, again made with fantastically fitted stone slabs. The entranceway is carved from two well fitted slabs, and has two grooves carved around it, rather like moulding round a more modern doorway. Above and to the right of this doorway, in the main chamber is a very visible axe carved onto the wall slabs.
Since visiting this tomb, I have found that there are said to be carvings of crooks and axes on one or two of the stones. The monument is in a lovely flower filled clearing in the forest, with the air filled with birdsong, a cuckoo being particularly prominent this morning. It has a noticeboard which states that it is dated to between 4500 and 3700 BC, and that the corridor side stones are original. I went back to my van to get a torch and returned.
La Justice tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.41 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 15th May 2005
Vieux Breuil tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. To the east of the historic village of Tusson there are four tumuli which lie in a line along the top of a ridge.
The Pierre Blanche and Magnez dolmens are on the same line to the north.
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Log Text: There are four tumulus here to the east of the village of Tusson which lie in a line along the top of a ridge. One of the central pair is enormous and deserves further exploration. The Pierre Blanche and Magnez dolmens are on the same line to the north.
Le Gros Dognon tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.54 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Le Gros Dognon tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. To the east of the historic village of Tusson there are four tumuli which lie in a line along the top of a ridge. One of the central pair, Le Gros Dognon, is enormous.
Enter into the wooded area and the size of the mound that appears before you takes the breath away. Its probably about 150 metres in length 45 metres wide and more than 10 metres in height.
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Log Text: After the day I’d so far had finding these tremendous tumuli and dolmens where none are signposted I thought I’d go back to the big looking one as Tusson for a better look after all it has lots of signposts and looked fairly big so who knows what I might find. Although easy to find parking was a problem but I managed to find somewhere nearby at the edge of the lane.
What a monster ! This is really a big one. Enter into the wooded area and the size of the mound that appears before you takes the breath away. Its probably about 150 metres in length 45 metres wide and more than 10 metres in height. I had a good look around and despite several small pits and depressions which showed the thing to be constructed from small stones I found no obvious signs of any chambers or entrances.
As always with these places in woods and particularly with something so big getting a photograph which remotely does any justice is impossible.
Vieux Breuil tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.39 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 5th Dec 2005
Vieux Breuil tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. To the east of the historic village of Tusson there are four tumuli which lie in a line along the top of a ridge.
The Pierre Blanche and Magnez dolmens are on the same line to the north.
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Log Text: There are four tumulus here to the east of the village of Tusson which lie in a line along the top of a ridge. One of the central pair is enormous and deserves further exploration. The Pierre Blanche and Magnez dolmens are on the same line to the north.
Tusson tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.38 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 15th May 2005
Tusson tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 5th Dec 2005. To the east of the historic village of Tusson there are four tumuli which lie in a line along the top of a ridge.
This is the most northerly, the name of which I am unsure.
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Log Text: There are four tumulus here to the east of the village of Tusson which lie in a line along the top of a ridge. One of the central pair is enormous and deserves further exploration. The Pierre Blanche and Magnez dolmens are on the same line to the north.
Dolmen de La Pierre Blanche à Bessé 1
Trip No.203 Entry No.37 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3
Dolmen de La Pierre Blanche à Bessé 1 submitted by thecaptain on 2nd Dec 2005. Theres a little noticeboard at the edge of the field which tells about the dolmen and the finds discovered here.
And as is often the case there is a legend associated to the stones.
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Log Text: A couple of kilometres southwest of the village of Charmé along the D736 the dolmen is signposted along a trackway from the road. Its about half a mile walk to a little wood and the dolmen is within the field of crops adjacent. A large oval shaped capstone almost 2 metres thick sits on several small supports which can just be seen under the capstone amongst the crops. Theres a little noticeboard at the edge of the field which tells about the dolmen and the finds discovered here and as is often the case there is a legend associated to the stones.
Magnez Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.36 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4
Magnez dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 2nd Dec 2005. Magnez dolmen can be found up a little track behind the hamlet of Magnez.
It rests on a few supports but is collapsed on the side nearest the trackway.
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Log Text: Walk up a little track behind the farmhouse to the south of the road as it passes through the hamlet of Magnez (Magné) for a couple of hundred metres and you will see a large stone to the right of the trackway. This is the capstone to the dolmen which is full of holes with plants and flowers growing in them. It rests on a few supports but is collapsed on the side nearest the trackway. It’s a lovely rockery but not much of a dolmen.
Dolmen de la Pierre-Pèze
Trip No.203 Entry No.35 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Poitou:Deux-Sèvres (79))
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Dolmen de la Pierre-Pèze submitted by thecaptain on 1st Dec 2005. La Pierre-Pèze is a lovely dolmen in a delightful woodland clearing full of flowers and birdsong.
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Log Text: After a long wet day of driving and getting frustrated by a lack of nice things to see and getting lost in a couple of big towns (Niort Fontenay) I needed this. On the D948 road just to the west of the railway station to the east of Limilonges (where there is lots of space to park) is a large sign to the dolmen which can be found a few hundred metres walk along the woodland path.
It consists of a massive vegetation covered triangular shaped capstone 6 metres in length up to 3 metres in width and a metre thick doing an incredible balancing act held up high on only three supports although there are in total about ten side slabs for the original chamber most of which do not reach the capstone. The chamber would have been oval in shape six metres long and probably about 4 metres in width. All of the stones are of a kind of limestone which shows I am moving into a different kind of region.
The dolmen is positioned in a lovely woodland glade and despite the noise of the busy road and the TGV trains rushing (quietly) by the place is full of birdsong and a nice place to spend some time.
Celles-sur-Belle menhirs
Trip No.203 Entry No.34 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Country: France (Poitou:Deux-Sèvres (79))
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3
Celles-sur-Belle menhirs submitted by thecaptain on 28th Nov 2005. Celles-sur-Belle menhirs.
difficult to find in the dense woodland are two large lumps of rock, with possibly a third.
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Log Text: After a fairly long struggle to find these which are marked on my ign map I eventually found a sign pointing through the woods to menhirs 180 metres but not very close to the position on the map. The best I found was two big lumps of rock on a hillside which looked very much like they may be natural rocks to me. Its possible there is a third nearby. I could not get a gps fix in the dense woodland.
La Frise Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.33 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Vendée (85))
Visited: Couldn't find on 15th May 2005
La Frise dolmen submitted by Rubis on 3rd Oct 2010. Coming from Les Magnils-Reigniers towards Corpe on the road D44, the dolmen can be found just a few meters before the crossroad of La Frise.
Site in Pays de la Loire: Vendée (85) France
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Log Text: I could see no signs of this in the flat farmland, nor any signs or other indications
Pierres Folles du Follet
Trip No.203 Entry No.32 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Standing Stones
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Vendée (85))
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5
Pierres Folles du Follet submitted by thecaptain on 30th Nov 2005. The Pierres Folle de Follet are two large menhirs both about 3.5 metres tall positioned one each side of a little lane like giant gateposts.
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Log Text: The Pierres Folle de Follet are two large menhirs both about 3.5 metres tall positioned one each side of a little lane like giant gateposts at the hamlet of the same name just to the south of the D19 a couple of kilometres south of the village of Rosnay.
There is a legend associated with them, which is printed on a little sign nearby, but which I cannot translate adequately. Something about Gargantua playing quoits here, and destroying houses and the flocks, and causing terror in the region. One day, he crushed a dozen sheep while playing near Rosnay, and the sheepdogs got fed up, and threw two quoits back at him, which stuck in the ground here forming the Pierres Folles.
Dolmen dit La Salle des Fées
Trip No.203 Entry No.31 Date Added: 2nd Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Loire-Atlantique)
Visited: Yes on 15th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen dit La Salle des Fées submitted by thecaptain on 28th Nov 2005. La Salle aux Fées, near to the village of St Pazanne in Loire Atlantique.
Very much a real dolmen, and not a waterlogged hole !
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Log Text: This was not at all like I was expecting to find so either the picture I had previously seen of this is of the wrong place or else this dolmen has had a nasty accident which has increased the remains !
I have to say it looks like a jumble of large rock slabs around a few trees in the middle of a field but it is possible to determine some side slabs and capstones of a long collapsed chamber. It is found just inside a field to the northwest of the D.61 road which goes southeast from Saint Pazanne after a couple of kilometres just before the road crosses the river at Port Faissant. It is signposted and on the ign map.
Prédaire Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.30 Date Added: 1st Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Loire-Atlantique)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 5 Access 4
Prédaire Dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 12th Oct 2018. From ichel Baconnais
Le dolmen du Pré d'air. Jusque vers 1970, ce lieu était recouvert d'épineux. Pour des raisons touristiques, la végétation a été enlevée, et le sol s'est érodé très vite. Ainsi, en 2003, la pierre du sommet présentant un danger, a été enlevée à la hâte sans repérage préalable. Aujourd'hui, ce site ruiné par la main de l'homme, n'est plus qu'un tas de pierraille. L'endroit était autrefois connu sous le nom "Perder" ou "Peurdaire", ce qui signifiait les ...
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Log Text: This much ruined transepted burial mound sits on a clifftop overlooking the sea to the south of the seaside harbour town of Pornic. I had chosen to spend the night at the campsite la Boutinardière and went for an evening stroll for 20 minutes or so northwest along the Sentier des Douarniers coastal footpath past some strange jetties with boat lifts jutting into the sea at the foot of the cliffs before reaching the dolmen as the sun was going down.
The main entrance corridor is about 7 metres long and is orientated on a bearing of 142° which looks directly towards a nearby headland. There are two large transept chambers each about 2.8 m by 1.7 metres in size but only a single smaller end chamber perhaps about 2.2 by 2 metres in size. Strangely situated side on to the slope maybe the shape of the ground has changed significantly over the millennia.
Just up the slop from the remains is a very large stone which is possibly the remains of a large capstone but perhaps just a boulder placed here to prevent vehicles driving down over the remains from the fields above. It was apparently excavated in 1878 with finds from the Neolithic which are now in the Musée Dobrée in Nantes.
Joselière Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.29 Date Added: 1st Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Loire-Atlantique)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4
Joselière Dolmen submitted by AlexHunger on 3rd Jun 2005. Unusually square 4 chambered square Cairn with double entrances in Pornic. Chambers with apses similar to single Maltese temples. Excavated In 1970s and restored 1985.
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Log Text: As soon as I got here this nice quiet place was flooded with people either returning from the beach or a walk along the clifftop. It is superbly positioned in a field about 50 metres from the sea but it’s a shame about the wartime gun emplacement here also. This transepted burial mound has been restored recently and is in fine condition. It consists of a single entrance corridor which faces eastwards on a bearing of 112° with four internal chambers opening up on the sides which are about 2 metres in width and high enough for me to stand up inside. The cairn is very square with sides about 11 metres in length barely bigger than the internal structures and with a nice white quartz stone at the entrance.