Pierre Couverte de Corbeau

Trip No.204  Entry No.92  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This one is quite easy to find, as it is signposted from the nearby hamlet of Bournée, and there is a little picnic area there, despite nowhere decent to park a camper van. It is on top of a hill, in a nice shady wooded area, surrounded by vines, roses and sunflowers, with Troglodyte villages and dwellings all around the area. I couldn't quite make out exactly what this dolmen is the remains of, it seems to be an allée couverte, rather than an Angevine dolmen. The entrance is at the east, and slightly smaller than the main chamber, but it's not a seperate entranceway, as it sort of opens up to the next pair of stones. The back end has all fallen, so difficult to determine. It is up to 10 metres long, 3 metres wide and 2 metres high, with three capstones still in place.

La Vacherie Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.97  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: This is a nice little site, and easy to find to the south of Distré, as it is signposted. The dolmenis in a little woodland clearing in a marshy area, which makes it nice and green and shady on this hot afternoon. The dolmen is what I am now taking to be a standard Angevine dolmen, with a 4m by 3m rectangular chamber, with a 2 metre long entranceway at the eastern end. The main chamber is capped by a single capstone which rests on two side slabs each side, one of which on the northern side has collapsed. The cover slab for the entranceway has unfortunately fallen. It's a shame, but as is often the case, the dolmen is used for beer drinking, smoking and fires, by I assume the local youths, and the pleasant green grassy area is littered with broken bottles and other rubbish.

Dolmen de la Pierrelée

Trip No.204  Entry No.103  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Just to the south of Montsoreau, on the hills above the Loire valley can be found this strange dolmen. It was difficult to find and to park nearby, but its close to the Tete Loire cycle route, and signposted about 50 metres into a field under some trees. What's left of this Angevine dolmen is still within a mound, although how ancientthe mound is I wouldn't like to say. But the odd thing is that it has been lived in, and the inside has been rebuilt with stone blocks to allow a doorway and stairs down into it, which are not in the original entrance. It also has a fireplace and a chimney complete with pot, and a water trough. A most odd place.

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

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.

Pierre Fiche de Chacé

Trip No.204  Entry No.98  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a nice menhir to find, a few hundred metres walk along a track near to the river Thouet, just to the west of the village of Chacé. The menhir is about 4 metres high, 2 metres wide and with a sloping top, as so many do have. It is signposted from the road, and they go to the effort of cutting all the nettles and other undergrowth for a reasonable distance around it. If only all the local communities were this concerned about their ancient stones. Some nice ducks swimming about in the river.

Dolmen de la Madeleine (Gennes)

Trip No.204  Entry No.91  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Went back as my photos were out of focus, having forgotten to switch off the macro function yesterday.

Le Petit Dolmen de Bagneux

Trip No.204  Entry No.94  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th Jul 2005

Log Text: High up on a cliff edge (because of a quarry) this dolmen can just about be seen through the trees from the roadside next to the cemetary. However, its on private land, and a proper viewing is not possible. It looks like a pretty big dolmen despite its name, and perhaps a more typical Angevine dolmen. It looks to be in fairly good condition.

Dolmens du Bois de la Chenaise

Trip No.204  Entry No.95  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Couldn't find on 16th Jul 2005

Log Text: This is within a fenced off and private area. There was no way I could get to see this one, which is in a wood on top of a hill.

La Pierre Couverte de Mousseau

Trip No.204  Entry No.96  Date Added: 20th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a fairly ruined Angevine type dolmen, in a field of sunflowers just to the east of the village of Ulmes, reached by a couple of hundred metres walk in a gap in the crops. The chamber would have been about 4 metres wide by 5 metres long, with an entranceway at the northeast, which is several metres in length. The whole thing is rather falling down and covered in undergrowth, but can still be clearly seen. Two capstones of the chamber, and one for the entranceway are still in place.

Menhir dit de Grésil

Trip No.204  Entry No.99  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

Log Text: There are three menhirs marked on my 1:100,000 map here in the region of the ring road to the south of the town of Montreuil-Bellay. I struggled to find any of them, so went to the local Super U to check out the 1:25,000 map. Turns out there are 4 menhirs to be found, and three castles, one of which blocks off most of the town to a camping car. This menhir is somewhere in a swamp by the river Thouet, between a major road junction and the river Thouet, with no chance of being able to find it.

La Pierre de Lenay

Trip No.204  Entry No.100  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

Log Text: This menhir is supposedly right by the river Thouet at Lenay, and looked as if it would be easy to find. I looked, and looked again, but found nothing. Must be on private land.

Grande Pierre de la Prée de Thouars

Trip No.204  Entry No.101  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

Log Text: Supposedly near the river Thouet south of Lenay, and it looked easy to find from the map. I looked, but found nothing, despite walking for what seemed like miles. It must be behind the farm somewhere.

Etiau Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.86  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: In an area to the west of the hamlet, in an area rich in natural rock outcrops, can be found this strange little dolmen. It would appear that a large capstone has been positioned over a natural chamber, which is about 4 metres by 2 metres, this being a sort of split in the rocks. But there is more to it than that, as an entranceway has also been constructed, using two slabs set on their sides, and a backstone nicely in place also. Within the chamber, and on other stones in the vicinity, are lots of marks and grooves, which look like they have been used for polishing blades etc, although it is possible that they are just natural.

Caillère Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.88  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Despite not being marked on any of my maps, this dolmen is easy to find, right at the side of the street in the middle of Caillère, near to the manor. It's about 3.5 metres square, with four large sidestones and a single capstone. It shows evidence of having been lived in, with steps down into it, and what looks like a window cut into it, although it may be the original entrance. In this area of many troglodyte habitations, including the manor, it wouldn't be surprising to know that this dolmen was once lived in.

Bajouillière Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.85  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Down a long track from near Bourgneuf, when you eventually get there this dolmen has parking and a picnic area. It is also the only one I have seen all day in this area that is signposted. Bizarrely, there is an owl hooting somewhere nearby, although it is 4:00pm on a scorching hot afternoon. This is another enormous dolmen, situated just below a naturally rocky outcrop in a flat field. The main chamber is pretty much exactly square, and about 6 metres by 6 metres inside, covered by a single (but now broken into three pieces) capstone, which has been made very square at about 7 metres each side. It is enormous. At some point in time, perhaps originally, this internal space has been segregated into two parts, possibly to help hold the roof up. Its entrance porchway is at the east, and itself is about 3 metres by 2 metres, and topped by two capstones, not quite as high as the main chamber. Unfortunately, people have been misusing the chamber, and there is evidence of some big fires, a result of which it is now closed off to the public. I still struggle to come to terms with just how BIG some of these monuments round here are.

Dolmen de la Motte

Trip No.204  Entry No.89  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Just to the east of the village of Chemellier, and actually signposted from it, this dolmen is about 800 metres walk from where the road runs out, and just inside the forest. While I was there, there were a couple of deer mooching around nearby, and also a wasps nest inside the dolmen. Beware ! Until today, I would have called this a massive dolmen, but how things change - it looks quite small now ! It's a typical rectangular Angevine dolmen with the chamber about 4 metres by 3 metres, and standing up height inside. The entrance is to the east, but broken and largely non existant above ground level. The back stone has also fallen, leaving the broken in two pieces capstone just sitting on the large side slabs.

Dolmen de la Madeleine (Gennes)

Trip No.204  Entry No.75  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: What a monster this is, its bigger than my house ! Easily found just to the south of Gennes, beside the D.69 road to Doué, at the top of the hill. Cannot be missed. It's a fairly simple thing, but the proportions are enormous.

The rectangular chamber is 11 metres long, 4.5 metres wide and 3.5 metres high inside, made with massive slabs. Three 5.5 metre wide capstones are held up on three side slabs each side, with a fourth added on the north side to help hold it all up.

The back slab has been cut to make access, and its not to any surprise this has been lived in in the past, and it has an internal wall and large round oven type thing. The chamber faces east, and has unfortunately suffered much vandalism - it is obviously used as a den by people - many fires are in evidence, and graffitti. Overall its a bit too industrial for my taste !

Avort Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.76  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Found about 80 metres to the west of the D.70 road southwest of Gennes, with a trackway leading to it. Its a typical Angevine dolmen with a 4 m by 2.5 m chamber, made using large slabs covered by a single large capstone. The entrance, and its two porch stones, is to the east. It is still substantially within its mound, atop which a tree is growing. The southern side slab is broken, allowing easy access.

Dolmen de la Pagerie

Trip No.204  Entry No.77  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This monster dolmen can be found a few hundred metres up the GR.XX footpath from near the farm of the same name, just to the southwest of Gennes. It is another of the enormous dolmens they have around here, with the main chamber being 10 metres long by 5 metres wide, made using enormous slabs of the sarsen like rock. The whole thing is covered with just two massive capstones, the back one of which is still on top of its three support stones, but the forward one has fallenon the eastern side. The entranceway is still largely in place and opens to the south, looking down the valley, but again its corner stone has fallen to the east. This is another incredible monument that could do with a bit of TLC. It is overgrown, and used as a dumping ground for agricultural waste from the fields around. It looks like there are regular fires inside, which are breaking up the stones in the corner, and I have no doubt that the rear capstone will fall soon, as its side support is broken and cracking. Its incredible when you see how big these things are, and have lasted for so long, its a shame the modern world is ruining them.

Pierre Longue du Bouchet

Trip No.204  Entry No.78  Date Added: 16th Jul 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Maine-et-Loire 49)
Visited: Yes on 15th Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: A fine menhir, standing around 3.5 metres tall near the top of a hill amongst the fields and forests. Its a nice triangular shaped slab of the local sarsen like stone. It is fairly easily found with the ign 1:25000 map, a few hundred metres walk along a track from the roadside above Bouchet.