Allée Couverte de Coat Luzuen

Trip No.203  Entry No.457  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Coat Luzuen allée couverte is situated in a field just to the west of the little road running north from the hamlet of Luzuen, and although signposted, it is quite difficult to find, with the last signpost being small and almost hidden, overgrown in a hedge opposite to a farm building.

When I visited this I was not totally sure what it was I was visiting, I could not be sure whether it is the remains of a strangely shaped allée couverte, or perhaps two dolmens, both quite large and opening to the west. Although I know of this as an allée couverte, it is marked on some maps as two dolmens, and as far as I can ascertain from more research, it was a single large allée couverte which has had a section removed from its centre.

The western part of the two sections has a large chamber covered by a massive single capstone 7 metres long by 3 metres wide, and it is easy to stand up inside. The eastern part, which was possibly once joined as the two side walls line up, is not so large, and is only open to the west, in the direction of its neighbour, and has only two sidestones and an endstone, the other side having collapsed.

Ty Corriganet de Coat Menez Guen

Trip No.203  Entry No.458  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: From the Coat Luzuen allée couverte, continue on about 800 metres further down the road which peters out into a trackway and descends to the bottom of the valley. Turn left at the bottom, cross the stream, go along the wet track and the Coat-Menez-Guen allée couverte is to be found at the end of the field. Unfortunately when I visited, it was completely inaccessible through a large crop of rape seed.

It is supposedly a superb monument, being a 14 metre long allée couverte of the arc boutée type with some capstones added for good measure. However, all I saw was the capstones ! It took me a lot of effort and time to get here, and unfortunately it was not worth the effort in this state. Its probably a good one to visit in February or something !

Kervignon Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.460  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: This little dolmen, with a capstone sitting on three side slabs is to be found round the back of the local sports centre. The capstone is nicely rain worn on the top, and sits at a jaunty angle. It perhaps once had an entry corridor as the side stones are smaller at one end, and I believe that this is in fact the remains of what was once a compartmented dolmen, with much of the rest of it destroyed.

Kerugou dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.469  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Kerugou dolmen is an interesting one, which can be found just inside a field beside a small road and signposted. It has a large compartmented chamber at the back, western end, with a long central passageway opening up to the east, at orientation 097°. The central passage is about 9 metres long and up to 2m in width away from the entrance. The two side chambers align along the back wall, and are each 3m by 2.5m, with some massive side slabs. Unfortunately, there is only one capstone still in place, and that is on the entrance passageway, but it's a nice monument to discover. Much of its mound is still in place.

Baie des Trépassés mégalithe

Trip No.203  Entry No.479  Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Couldn't find on 18th Jun 2005

Log Text: There used to be a large menhir here, but no longer. Nor the ancient city of Y, which is now under the sea because the King's daughter sold herself to the devil. This bay is also where the dead set sail from on their final voyage to the Ile de Sein. There are lots of legends and stories surrounding this beautiful bay, but no menhir anymore.

Dolmen de Keradiguen

Trip No.203  Entry No.490  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Couldn't find on 19th Jun 2005

Log Text: I was unable to find a parking place near to this, and was thus unable to have a proper look. The road is extremely busy - everyone must be heading out to the beaches. Perhaps I'll try again later.

Kervadol Dolmens

Trip No.203  Entry No.461  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: This is the remains of two little dolmens about 10 metres away from each other, not far from the sports fields. I could not be sure as to whether they were once in different mounds, or if they would have both been in the same one. Both have similar chambers, with a capstone sitting on a couple of side stones each side, and facing south.

The eastern of the two is in much better condition, and the capstone is in its proper position. That on the western dolmen has fallen to one side. Both of these dolmens have a strange feature which is a large square slab lined hollow beside them on the eastern side, or perhaps on both sides. Would these have been side chambers ? There is no sign of any capstones, and any entrance would have had to have been round the back. It's all very odd. These slabs are perhaps a bit like the stones around the Lesconil dolmen, except that the mound is outside of these rather than on the inside.

I later found out that these are remains of a type of monument only found in this coastal part of southwest Brittany, and are compartmented dolmens, which had chambers with internal compartment slabs to break up the chamber into sections.

Kerbalanec Allée Couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.485  Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This allée couverte is easy enough to find to the north of the Kerbalannec farm buildings a couple of hundred metres along a track. The allée couverte makes up part of the field wall, and this has perhaps helped in its preservation.

The chamber is about 12 metres in length, over 2 metres wide and high enough to stand up in, facing south of southeast at 155°. The northwest end is amazingly complete, but the southeast end has suffered some damage, while five of the probable six capstones survive in place. The field to the south is on a much higher level than the field to the north, and on this side the stone slabs of a peristalith have survived, as has the mound. This is a nice monument to visit.

Lesconil allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.486  Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Lesconil allée couverte is easy to find near the village of Lesconil, as it is signposted from the main D.7 road, and with its own little parking area. This is one monument round here that they do want you to visit, unlike most which seem sadly neglected. This is an excellent place, and no doubt the best preserved of the eight known Arc Bouttée style allée couvertes, where the two rows of side stones lean together, rather than having a row of capstones on top.

The chamber is about 14 metres in length, slightly curved, and facing south of southeast at a bearing of 155°, similar to its neighbour at Kerbalannec. The large side slabs range in size up to about 3 metres in height, the largest being in the middle, the smallest at the southeastern, open, end. The back end of the passage has a small seperate compartment between the rear stones, and a blocking stone is present. The allée couverte even has most of it's outer surrounding of peristalith stones, although several of these have become scattered.

It's all nicely sheltered in a little wood, which is keeping the burning sun off of me, but it doesn't help for getting good pictures, with very contrasting light and shade. For such a big monument, there is surprisingly little room inside, although tall in places, the style of construction cuts the space right down. Perhaps this is one for the cheapskates !

Alignements de Ty-ar-C'huré

Trip No.203  Entry No.492  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Couldn't find on 19th Jun 2005

Log Text: I went for quite a walk to look for these, but in the end found nothing. They are at the top of a hill in a wood, protected by lots of gorse and bracken overgrown heathland, with no obvious pathway through.

Lagatjar alignements

Trip No.187  Entry No.71  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 1987. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Brittany day 9. Cycle from Telgruc all around Crozon peninsula.

Île Melon Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.501  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 20th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 2

Log Text: This is frustrating. There is only 15 metres of water between me and the island from where I sit, but the tide is coming in and the island is not going to get any nearer. The dolmen is on top of the island and looks a nice one, its capstone sitting on at least four support stones. There are also at least two menhirs further down to the south of the island, and looking towards the shore. Perhaps a swim is needed !

Pointe de Guilligui allée couverte

Trip No.214  Entry No.11  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th Apr 2014

Log Text: Seen high up on its rocky promontary from across the bay on the quay at Portsall.

Dolmen de Vourch

Trip No.203  Entry No.520  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Couldn't find on 21st Jun 2005

Log Text: Supposedly the remains of this dolmen can be found near to the coast path just outside the municipal camping. It is said that if you stand with your chin resting on the menhir out on Ile Tariec, then the solstice sunrise used to rise between the legs of this dolmen. It is not marked on any of my maps, and despite now being fallen, I was told that I should be able to find it. However, despite spending well over an hour looking (and enjoying the walk) I could find no sign of this. It could easily be there somewhere in amongst the bracken and the dunes, which are all up and down, and riddled with wartime bunkers.

Croazou chapel stèles

Trip No.214  Entry No.7  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: A total of six Iron Age Stèles are to be seen at Croazou Chapel, of which four have been incorporated into its construction, three into the outside walls, and one internally. The largest of these is now the southeast corner of the chapel, and stands 2 m high. Two others are to be seen making part of the construction of this wall. Outside the front of the chapel is a fine stub of an 11 sided stele, now used for the base of a cross.

Croazou chapel menhir

Trip No.214  Entry No.8  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Laying outside the back wall of the chapel is a fallen menhir, a couple of metres in length, which has had three medieval crosses mounted onto it, all supposedly in their original position.

Guinivrit

Trip No.214  Entry No.2  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th Apr 2014

Log Text: Seen from over the estuary from the south, tide out and on the sandy beach.

Île Carn cairn

Trip No.214  Entry No.10  Date Added: 27th May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: Just offshore from the bay of Porsguen in the community of Ploudalmézou at the northwestern point of Finisterre, Brittany, lies a small island, which can be walked to at low tide from the mainland. A large part of this small island is made up of a massive and remarkable round cairn which contains three dolmenic chambers. The outer round cairn is about 30 metres in diameter, and perhaps still almost 10m in height. It seems to have only been recognised that an ancient cairn was here in the late 19th century, which was further recognised by others in the early 20th century, with a description of 1925 mentioning the presence of an anthropomorphic stele, 1.75m in height.

During the course of the second world war, construction of a lookout post and gun battery on the island broke through into the monument and revealed the presence of the southern chamber. During the following ten years degradation of the monument became rapid, accelerated by clandestine excavations, until in 1954 a rescue plan was put into place under the direction of P-R Giot. Following an interruption, further excavations occurred between 1964 and 1967, which showed that the construction was made using local materials, mostly granite stones with occasional use of megalithic slabs. Several phases of construction were revealed.

The initial construction was a circular chamber of diameter approx 3.5 metres with an entrance passageway from one side of the chamber thus making a q shape, leading in from the southeast. The structure is all of dry stone walling technique except for the entrance passage which is covered with megalithic slabs. The chamber is roofed with a circular corbelled structure which remains intact to this day. Drystone walling had been used to block off the chamber at both extremities of the passageway. The whole of this was enclosed in a circular cairn. Carbon dating has been used to suggest the structure dates back to as long as 4700BC.

The second construction was the addition of a second chamber to the south, with a rectangular plan, and long entrance passageway approx 5 metres in length to the southeast. Carbon dating has been used to suggest this structure dates back to perhaps 4500BC.

Further construction followed with the addition of a third tomb to the northern side of the first, within which are two conjoined chambers, the southern of which is perhaps double the size of the northern, which has a couple of large megalithic slabs used in its construction. Dating of this structure has been used to show a possible date of as far back as 3900 BC or more recently of 2000BC, suggesting a possible long term use of this particular structure.

Following these three cairns, a fourth stage of construction was to possibly make a single large rectangular cairn covering the three adjacent structures. This was then probably followed by a fifth construction stage of an approximately 30 metre diameter circular structure with a facing wall, up to a metre in height surrounding the whole thing, and this blocking off all three chambers.

Within the central chamber were found several small vases and other crescent shaped items which have become eponymously named in the Carn style, along with several pearls and flint tools. The southern chamber revealed more pots including a single small vase of just 5cm diameter, but of similar styling, whilst the northern chamber revealed a splendid 10cm diameter flask and some fine polished flint items, and some fragments of red ochre.

Fabulous

Croazou chapel

Trip No.214  Entry No.6  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Driving away from Men-Marz through the maze like country lanes and after about 10 mins I thought I was completely lost, and then all of a sudden I arrived at the road junction with this little chapel in the middle of it. Aha, fabulous, I hadn't intended coming here as there was no time, but now I'm here, better have a quick look. It's probably best not to just abandon your car in the middle of the junction, but I thought it would be OK for a few minutes!

This odd little chapel is said to be the smallest in Finistère, and is a place where many thousands of years of ritual and worship can all be seen together. The chapel has been built onto a stèle or menhir with it still standing there at one of the back corners about 2 metres tall. Outside the back wall are three medieval crosses positioned on top of a fallen menhir supposedly in all being in their original positions. Around the outside of the chapel is also a fairly recent collection of other crosses from the region which includes one intriguing cross which has been mounted on the top portion of what was obviously once a lovely iron age stele with wonderful shaping and patterns carved into it.

The door to the chapel was unlocked, so I had a quick butchers inside, but it was slightly disappointing in that the corner menhir could not be seen from inside.

Grand menhir de Saint-Eden

Trip No.214  Entry No.1  Date Added: 28th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Splendid fallen menhir, right at the edge of the sea, and bigger than I recall it. Now got some pictures with Dad in it for scale. Dad thought it looked like it had a snake or serpent head