Dolmen de Bercenay

Trip No.204  Entry No.233  Date Added: 4th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bourgogne:Yonne (89))
Visited: Couldn't find on 5th Aug 2005

Log Text: Just off the edge of my map, the Pierre au Laurin, or Pierre Couverte, has no obvious signposts to it, and I could see no obvious signs of any dolmen in the locality, so I didn’t really look.

Which is a shame really, as I see later there are three good dolmens to be found here, much better than anything I did find!

Saint-Uzec menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.562  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Signposted from all around, and with its own parking area, this is a truly massive menhir in all senses. It must be about 6 metres tall or more, and impressively bulky in its other dimensions also. But its crowning glory is the granite cross on top, and also the tremendous carvings on its front (southern) face, which show scenes from the bible and the "roughly hewn instruments of passion". In the past it was also painted.

The menhir's back face is lovely and weather worn, with lots of grooves running down it where the rain has run down. It is set in a little stone area complete with a little pillar for offerings. Outside the stone setting is a nice little garden area, with a tremendously colourful display when I was here - poppies, hydrangea, stocks and many others I did not know. This is a smashing place to visit, so long as you avoid the coach parties that are regularly brought here.

Champ des Roches

Trip No.203  Entry No.596  Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 27th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Just behind the churchyard to the south of the village of Pléslin and well signposted is this “field of rocks” which is kept in a nice and shady oak garden and included on a couple of signposted local walks. I didn’t know of this place beforehand despite having been near it several times before, it not being far from St-Malo, yet it is described as Brittany’s third most important site (which seems a bit over the top considering some of the other places).

What it basically consists of these days is about 70 big white quartz stones arranged in 5 lines perhaps 6 which are not quite parallel as they converge towards the east and apparently focus on a large stone of which I found no obvious evidence. It really is a nice quiet calming place away from all the busy roads and bustle of this part of Brittany.

Why are these stones here ? Well legend tells us it was the fairies who were building Mont St-Michel who got tired carrying their stones out to sea and they dropped them here.

Just to the north of the stones is an open field with various structures within it which is used for a festival each year to celebrate the stones. It’s been happening longer than anyone can tell on or around the Fete St Pierre. This year (2005) the “Fête des Megalithes” will happen on Saturday July 16th and there will be a big feast bands playing dancing and fireworks. Within this festival ground there is a large gravel circle with 8 telegraph poles arranged around the outside and then a further 4 at the cardinal points positioned outside them. Various other poles are dotted about some with white painted bottoms some with black. I like to think it is for some ancient dancing and festivity but my sister told me it was probably for a large tent. Surely any tent would come with its own poles !

As I said I didn’t know of this lovely place before I learn something every day. It had a lovely atmosphere and was very pleasant to just sit there in the shade.

Chapelle-des-Sept-Saints

Trip No.203  Entry No.552  Date Added: 2nd Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 23rd Jun 2005

Log Text: I had terrible trouble finding this from the south. The road signs are almost non existent, and very inconsistent, and its all windy lanes and farm tracks. None of the roads, or the names on any of the rare signs seem to agree with the maps. I think the maps are in French, while the signs are in Breton ! I eventually found it by a bit of a fluke, after travelling for a fair distance along a road I was wanting to turn round on, and go back, there it was, right in front of me. That said, when I left, and went northwards, it couldn’t be much problem to find it coming from the north, it seems like one road to get there, and its signposted from the main road.

By the time I got here, it was 7:00 pm, and it was all closed up. However, there was a little sign outside telling you about the place in four languages, one of which was English. The Chapel is built right on top of a dolmen, (Stivel dolmen), and the southern Crypt is within the dolmen itself. The dolmen is a big one, and a registered historic monument, being about 4 metres by 2 metres, made with 4 sidestones and 2 capstones. From the outside, there is a little gated doorway, through which you can see partly into the inside, and the dolmen is plain to see. It has been adapted somewhat for its new role, and I think that there are little statues of the seven saints contained in alcoves within the dolmen.

Now this is one way of Christianising an ancient site !!! although it must be said that the chapel is a place of pilgrimage for Moslems. So, there’s at least three beliefs all coming together at the same place.

Menhir a Vertu

Trip No.203  Entry No.561  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Oooh errrr, this one's a bit rude ! This is a wonderful little menhir, less than 2 metres tall, but a tremendous phallic shape, which was no doubt recognised by the ancient people. It has been revered so much over time that it is still standing erect, and indeed has had a chapel built with its front door no more than 8 metres from the stone, and opening directly onto it. This place has been christianised not only by the chapel, but the head of the menhir has at some point been attempted to be shaped into a cross, but in some ways this just accentuates the phallic nature of the stone.

At the time of my visit, there was a little offering of flowers and sea shells placed very neatly on a little ledge at the base of the stone. This is very definately one for the ladies, and no doubt has great powers.

Île-Coalen allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.577  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: The remains of this monument can be found at low tide on the beach at the southwestern corner of Ile Coalen, which is just offshore from the mainland at the northwest entry to the Trieux river estuary. The island can be reached by walking from the mainland when the tide is out.

It is the remains of an allée couverte, the chamber of which has an orientation of 155°, the length of which was indeterminate to me. At the northwestern end is the remains of a seperate cell a couple of metres in length. Several side slabs, plus the two cross slabs are still in position, but the rest of it is a bit of a jumble, and has been knocked about a bit over the years. There is possibly the remains of a peristalith around it, or perhaps its bits of broken capstone, I cannot tell.

I enjoy coming to these island places - much more fun to come to than a field wall or suchlike.

Trémarche menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.559  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Pleasant enough menhir set into a little gravel area at the side of the D.11 road beside the junction at Trémarche a few kilometres to the south of Trégastel. It's about 3 metres high, of rectangular section, and made from a nice pink granite.

Keryvon allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.556  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Right beside the D.788 road from Trébeurden to Trégastel, and only feet from the cliff edge is the remains of this dolmen, but it would not surprise me if it is part of what was once an allée couverte. It has a single capstone on side supports only, but there are at least three of them on the south side, and possibly more.

Survival of this has again been helped by it being part of a wall, but I suspect the road has cut off the eastern end. Orientation is 094°. Further into the hedge, and I think that there are a few peristalith stones also.

La Ganterie

Trip No.203  Entry No.598  Date Added: 13th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 28th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4

Log Text: Just beside the D.676 Dinan to Dol road, at the top of the hill to the east of the hamlet of La Ganterie where the road is a dual carriageway, there is a place to park. From here the allée couverte is signposted along a trackway into a wood, and just 50m along this well tended path the remains are to be found. It is almost impossible to see what is here though, as it is all totally overgrown. It might be a very long allée couverte going by the length of the bramble growth.

I find it very odd that the signposts and path are so well tended, yet the monument is so completely neglected. Never mind, it is still here with us.

Toenno menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.565  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This little menhir now gets a drink most days at high tide, as it is situated in the marshes at the edge of the sea, and a high tide surrounds it. The menhir is less than 2 metres tall, but it is pleasantly shaped. It can be reached easily from a nearby track and carpark.

Dolmen de Lann Kerellec

Trip No.203  Entry No.564  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 4

Log Text: This dolmen is situated in somebody's garden, but it can be seen through the fence and over the wall from the roadside. It is probably the remains of an allée couverte.

Parc-ar-Peulvennic

Trip No.203  Entry No.566  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: This menhir can be reached only by getting wet feet at a very high tide, as it is right on the edge of the land in the marsh area near to Ile Grande. The stone is just over 2 metres tall, and has been incorporated into a wall, but it is a splendid stone to go and see. It is now incorporated into a local "Megalithic Trail", details of which can be obtained from the local tourist office.

Ty-Lia (Ile Renote)

Trip No.203  Entry No.568  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 2

Log Text: This allée couverte is now a bit of a garden feature within the grounds of a large house on the island of Ile Renote, and is not on public property. Made from the lovely pink granite that everything is round here, the remains are about 8 metres in length and have only one capstone still in place, with another one fallen.

Closer investigation suggests that there may be remains of a lateral entry and peristalith but its difficult to tell. This place is surrounded by magnificent rocks and coastline, and a walk around this island is thoroughly recommended to everybody.

Menhir de Kermarker

Trip No.203  Entry No.572  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Couldn't find on 25th Jun 2005

Log Text: This menhir is suposedly right beside the road, but I could not find it. According to the map, it is just into the woodland, which is exceedingly densely covered in ferns, and inaccsessible.

Menhir de Kervéniou

Trip No.203  Entry No.570  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 2

Log Text: This little menhir, which I estimate to be about 2.5 metres tall, can just be seen in a private garden round the back of a house. It is difficult to get to see, if indeed it is what I saw.

Kerpeulven Menhir (Penvénan)

Trip No.203  Entry No.571  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: This pleasant menhir is about 4 metres tall, and trapped in a garden about 250 metres north of the church along Rue de Menhir in the village of Penvénan. It is however only a few metres from the road, and easily visible from it.

Thiemblais menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.597  Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 27th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: This is a truly wonderful 8 metre long granite menhir, which can be found signposted along a little track just to the east of the village of St Samson.

Although it leans at about 45°, it is beautifully shaped and has multitudes of carvings and engravings all over it. Apparently those on the flat western face are easy to see at mid day, but when I was here at 7:00pm, I could barely make anything out. I could, however, clearly see some of the carvings on the two sides, with the shadows being cast in just the right direction. All of the usual neolithic symbols are here, crosses, axes, squares, palettes and serpents.

A nice legend of the stone is that any young girl who wants to get married should climb to the top of the stone, and side down in their "birth knickers", and they will become wed within the year. It is also supposed to be one of the three menhirs that block the entrance to hell. A real fantastic find.

Tossen-Keler Cromlech (1964-2018)

Trip No.203  Entry No.573  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: For a reason unknown to me, the 40 metre diameter and 7 metres high Tossen Keler tumulus from Penvénan was excavated and totally removed in about 1960. The horseshoe of stones (cromlech) that surrounded it were moved to a position in a little public garden on the quayside here at the pleasant old port town of Tréguier. Much of the horseshoe is here, but there was once a few stones with engravings on them, which are now in some museum or other somewhere, and have been replaced here with more modern stones.

I remember this as a pleasant grassy park from my previous visit, but when I revisited in 2005, apart from the grass within it, it is in a massive dusty car and bus park, looking very unloved. Its a shame.

Tour-ar-Varquez

Trip No.203  Entry No.576  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Two standing and one fallen stone make up this alignement of stones in a field wall to the northeast of Pleubian. The two standing stones are about 2.5 metres tall, but the fallen one is of indeterminate length and lost in the undergrowth. It is situated about 100 metres across a field beside the road north from St Antoine. The orientation is 065°.

Men-ar-Rompet

Trip No.203  Entry No.575  Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: The remains of this allée couverte, "the Giants Stones", sit within a field wall (which is no doubt the reason for its survival) just 25 metres from the sea at high tide, near to the entrance of the Tréguier estuary. The chamber is quite short at about 6 metres, probably due to the eastern end being destroyed. The western end is intact with not only a back stone, but also an internal dividing stone a couple of metres in. Three capstones sit in place, with another one fallen at the east.

This would be a lovely place to sit and watch the boats and birds on a nice day, but a sea fog has developed and is enveloping everything, so the visibility is lacking. So much for my plans to go to the big sand spit (Siillon de Talbert) later. Uh Oh, its now started to rain. This allée couverte is signposted from the nearby Kerbors village, and is just a few hundred metres walk from a parking place.