Fontaine St Michel

Trip No.203  Entry No.412  Date Added: 21st May 2020
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 14th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Following the path round the back of the tumulus looking to get a good photograph there was a sign to Fontaine St Michel which I followed. After a few hundred metres there is a nice little well with a little well house and offerings area above a clear pool of water slowly bubbling up from the ground.

I have no doubt that this spring has been here for thousands of years and indeed quenched the thirst of the men building the tumulus. And this turned out to be site 500 in my French stonehunting trip catalogue of site visits. Incredible really that I am seeing hundreds of dolmens and menhirs yet a well gets to be site 500. Probably only my third well !

Carnac Musée de Préhistoire

Trip No.203  Entry No.413  Date Added: 21st May 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 14th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: There is lots of stuff in here, found at various places in the locality. Some good explanations of the various types of dolmen and tumulus to be found, and some lovely replicas of many of the engraved stones to be found. Seems like I have seen most of these now.

Mané Keriaval

Trip No.203  Entry No.391  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Now this is a nice one, not only for the monument, but it is signposted and not being worn away by masses of visitors. Best of all, it has obviously been cleared within the last day or so of all the undergrowth which was here. About time I found one of these which was treated a bit better, and well looked after, although it must have been several years since the last time it was cleared judging by the size of some of the cuttings.

This must be the remains of a double transepted tomb with a main passageway about 8 metres in length, facing east at 115°. Off from this passageway are four side chambers, arranged in two pairs opposite each other, and each being about 2 metres square. The end of the chamber, and the two northern side chambers still have large capstones in place, and there are still substantial traces of a mound surrounding everything.

Crucuno Cromlech

Trip No.203  Entry No.397  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: What a lovely and unexpected find this was, not so much the expected semi-circular cromlech, but an almost complete rectangle of large stones. There are 22 remaining stones, on average 2 metres in height, arranged in a rectangle measuring about 33 metres by 25 metres. The long sides are aligned just about due east - west, with the shorter sides north - south.

It has been "restored" in 1882, but is supposedly a very accurate restoration job, and matches earlier plans well. It is thought that this could have been set up for astronomical observations, as not only do the east - west sides align to the equinox sunrise and sunset, but perhaps more importantly, the diagonals align to the both the solstice sunrise and sunset positions, rather like the four station stones at stonehenge. It has also been suggested that the positions of various major moon rise and moonset positions are indicated.

It is easy enough to find, a few hundred metres to the east of the village centre. From here follow the track which passes in front of the house with the dolmen for a few hundred metres, then turn right when the track splits for another 50 metres, and you arrive at the field within which the monument resides.

Thankfully, when I visited, the whole field had recently been cleared of all the gorse and brambles, and was nicely open. Remarkably, for somewhere so close to the busy Crucuno dolmen, and possibly such an important site, hardly anybody seems to know its here, and it seems all the tourists visit the dolmen, but miss this. I dont cease to be amazed by all the Breton megalithic sites, it truly is a wonderland - whatever will be next.

Crucuno Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.396  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Right in the middle of Crucuno hamlet is to be found this tremendous and much visited and photographed dolmen. The rectangular chamber is about 4 metres by 3.5 metres, covered by a single massive capstone which measures over 7 metres in length, perched on top of 9 support stones, with easily enough room to stand upright inside.

Unfortunately, a century or so ago, a house was built right next to it, and this has destroyed all but the last pair of entrance passageway uprights and their capstone. This passageway was recorded in the last century as being at least 20 metres in length, leading away towards the southeast.

In its past, it has been used for many things, including a stable, a home for the village idiot (*Burl) and a shelter for German soldiers during the last war. Despite seeing lots of pictures of this one before visiting, and there being a steady stream of visitors passing through (its obviously one of the sites on all the tourist trails) it was much more impressive than I was expecting. Excellent.

Kerluir Menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.409  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: This is a nicely shaped 4 metre high menhir in the middle of a field about 800 metres to the south of the Kermario alignements, and as such, the poor thing is a bit overshadowed. But I was taken with its leaning and its pointy top, and liked it a lot. To find this go down the track to the south of the Kermario dolmen, and then you will find it across the field a bit further to the south at the corner.

Kerluir Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.410  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: There's a big mound here on top of a hillock, to the east of the Kerluir menhir, but its all covered with gorse and blackthorn. However, there is a way through, and somewhere in the middle can be found this tiny little dolmen, which consists of a capstone sitting on two sidestones, with a few other stones in the vicinity. It wouldn't surprise me if this wasn't just a set of stones from an entry corridor, and that there is, or was, something much bigger lurking in the thick undergrowth !

Dolmen de Rosnual

Trip No.203  Entry No.388  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4

Log Text: A couple of kilometres north of Carnac along the D119 road, turn right towards Rosnual. Just beyond the campsite of the same name, go left up a farm track as the lane goes to the right. After about 50 metres, just beyond the first field wall on the left is the dolmen. You wouldn’t know it though, as its completely overgrown and used as a farmyard dump. I cant say a thing about the dolmen other than it is under there somewhere. There are traces of a mound, and perhaps a circle of stones surrounding it.

Runesto Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.393  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a pleasant dolmen still mostly within its mound, and in fact it has been cut down into with steps from the eastern side of the massive capstone. The chamber is about 3 metres by 3 metres, and the single capstone is held up on eight remaining side support stones, with plenty of room to stand up within. There are no longer any remains of its entry passageway which would have run off towards the east.

There are traces of engravings including a fairly good axe on the stone nearest to the entrance. Just outside to the east are two other large stones, which are perhaps related, but perhaps not. The wall of the nearby house has many large stones within it, no doubt being once part of the tumulus.

Kercado Tumulus

Trip No.203  Entry No.387  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Fantastic. This is getting a bit eroded away now, and I think it needs some better protection from all the visitors it gets. The monument consists of a 25 metre diameter round cairn, completely enclosing a wonderful dolmen chamber which is about 3 metres by 2.5 metres, and 2.3 metres high, which is entered via a passageway which opens up from the east. The chamber is covered by a single large capstone, which does not rest directly on top of the sideslabs, but is raised above them by corbelled smaller stones, making it look like it is floating above the chamber. There are carvings on several side stones with chequerboard patterns, and a large carving of an axe on the roof.

On top of the mound is a menhir, and around the outside of the mound is a circle of stones, about 5 metres extra distance away from the mound, of which less than half now exist. A bit further away from the entrance is another menhir, about 1.5 metres tall.

This must be just about the most complete dolmenic chamber there is to be seen in the world today, and is a fantastic place to visit when quiet. It is €1 entry fee, payable into an honesty box in quiet times at the entrance shelter by the pizzeria. I met the Brazilian ladies again here, and also a retired Irish couple who were travelling for a few months in their camper van.

Geant du Manio

Trip No.203  Entry No.385  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a 5 metre high menhir, fairly easily found and obviously very popular because of all the erosion around it. It is only 50 metres from the quadrilateral. It’s a very nice stone in the woodland, but I guess it can become a bit of a nightmare when crowded.

Le Quadrilatere

Trip No.203  Entry No.386  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This is a quadrilateral of stones in the forest to the north of the alignements. It initially looks to me like the outside peristalith from a long gone passage grave, but closer inspection shows it to be more than that.

As I am here, a party of horse riders ride right through, and then a bus tour of people, who all turn up, take a picture, and then move on elsewhere. While here I met a couple of Brazilian ladies who saw I was writing, and came up to ask me some questions. They are looking out the old stones, and were interested in what I was doing, and wanted to take my internet address. I should have got them to take a picture of me beside the Giant.

Dolmen de Run Mori

Trip No.203  Entry No.389  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Couldn't find on 13th Jun 2005

Log Text: I could not find this in dense gorse filled woodland, on a hill somewhere to the east of the lane leading to Nauterio.

Dolmen de Nauterio

Trip No.203  Entry No.390  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This is a pleasant little dolmen, sadly becoming very overgrown, which can be found about 50 metres up the track which leads northwest beyond Nauterio towards Keriaval. It has a 2.5 by 2 metre chamber, with a 6 to 7 metre entrance passageway which has a couple of its capstones still in place.

The French Aeronavale are playing overhead in their Super Etendards.

Dolmen de Cosquer Er Mané

Trip No.203  Entry No.394  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: A pleasant little dolmen well presented on a sort of village green to the north of the chapel. This is almost certainly the remains of the back end of a passage grave with most of the entry corridor removed, although a few stones and a capstone still remain. The chamber is about 3 metres by 3 metres, with a single large capstone resting on top of several side supports. The back stone has gone.

Tennad-er-Menguen Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.395  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Back to the overgrown sites again ! This one is down a lane then across a field before finding it in the undergrowth. Probably once upon a time this was quite a good dolmen with an entry passageway, there is a 3 metre diameter chamber with capstone, and a few stones of the entrance still standing, along with at least one capstone surviving.

Mané Braz menhirs

Trip No.203  Entry No.403  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stones Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Just the other side of the footpath to the Mané Braz dolmens, down the hill, is a line of large stones still standing, each about a metre high. There are many other stones. I have no idea what this may be. Maybe a wrecked tomb of some kind.

Kerjean Menhirs

Trip No.203  Entry No.404  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005

Log Text: Travelling along the Chemin des Megalithes, to the west of the Mané Braz dolmens, are to be seen several megaliths within the woods. These are the Kerjean menhirs, but I don’t have enough time to explore every single stone around here. This really is a cracking ride along this path. I can't recommend it highly enough.

La Table du Sacrifice

Trip No.203  Entry No.406  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Pretty much in the middle of the Géants de Kerzerho are two fallen giants, more than six metres long. It looks like one of the flat fallen stones may have been used as a dolmen with a chamber underneath it.

Perhaps they are not fallen giants. Maybe this is the true Pierre des Sacrifices. Maybe it was a fallen giant then used in later times for other purposes.

Whatever this all is here, its a wonderful place.

Kerzerho Alignements

Trip No.203  Entry No.407  Date Added: 14th May 2020
Site Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 13th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: It’s a pity about the busy road running through them, but they are here, looking superb in the sun and you can wander freely amongst them. However, I just want to get back now, having spent almost an hour fixing my bike. There is a Dutch couple here, the man spending ages taking photos with all sorts of kit. Three big bags worth. And wifey posing in front of the stones. These Dutch, eh ? There are a fantastic number of stones in the field here, some of them really lovely shapes.