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Pierre Levée au Bois Bouéry
Trip No.205 Entry No.21 Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4
Pierre Levée au Bois Bouéry submitted by thecaptain on 20th Feb 2006. In the forest to the southwest of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, this lovely dolmen is easily found as it is signposted from the D.2 road, and it resides in a little forest clearing.
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Log Text: In the forest to the southwest of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, this dolmen is easily found as it is signposted from the D.2 road, several kilometres to the north. From the road that leads to the dolmen, it is just a hundred metres walk from a parking place, and it resides in a little forest clearing.
The dolmen is quite a big one, made from granite rocks. The capstone is sort of mushroom shaped, and about 5 metres in diameter. It sits on top of 5 support stones, with at least one other fallen, and is about 1.5 metres off the ground. It covers an oval shaped chamber 4 metres by 3 metres internal dimensions with the probable entrance to the east. The support stone at the northern side appears to have engravings on it, and I would put money on the markings not being natural. Near to the ground is a classic palette about 40 cm long pointing towards the right, and above this a classic necklace and breasts, or else a smiley face. I have not seen any reference to there being carvings here.
Betoulle dolmen 2
Trip No.204 Entry No.165 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 21st Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Betoulle dolmen 2 submitted by thecaptain on 9th May 2006. Betoulle dolmen 1 in the late evening sunshine, July 2005.
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Log Text: This is another nice dolmen, found just inside a fieldby the roadside a few kilometres south of Berneuil. You can find it by turning left at the crossroads near La Lue dolmen, and travelling a couple of kilometres until just past the big road on the right.
It is a nice tall dolmen with a nice capstone sat upon six support stones, covering a chamber 3 m by 2 m. Closer inspection again shows a reconstruction job, with some cemented together broken stones. Perhaps this was completely enclosed, but the entrance today is again to the west. A few other stones and chunks lie nearby.
Bagnol Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.172 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4
Bagnol Dolmen submitted by theCaptain on 26th Jul 2011. Just beside the D.7 Road to the east of the station at Fromental is found this nice little dolmen, with a parking space and picnic area.
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Log Text: Just beside the D.7 Road to the east of the station at Fromental is found this nice little dolmen, with a parking space and picnic area. The egg shaped capstone covers an oval chamber about 3 metres long and 2 metres wide. The pointed end points to the west, sitting on four slide slabs about 1.8 metres above the ground. It is open to both east and west ends.
Menhir des Fichades
Trip No.204 Entry No.173 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4
Menhir des Fichades submitted by theCaptain on 26th Jul 2011. The Menhir des Fichades stands in a field beside a wood, just above a little stream, and I suspect it was a natural rock which has been stood up, as there are many other rocks like this in the little valley above the stream.
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Log Text: At the hamlet of Grand Bagnols, on the D.7 Road, take the little side lane to the south (best to park and walk). The Menhir des Fichades is signposted and only a couple of hundred metres from the road. It stands in a field beside a wood, just above a little stream, and I suspect it was a natural rock which has been stood up, as there are many other rocks like this in the little valley above the stream. It stands about 3 metres tall, and is nicely shaped with a curved top.
Rouffignac Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.170 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4
Rouffignac Dolmen submitted by theCaptain on 26th Jul 2012. The capstone has several 30 mm cupules carved into it, and also a fairly large diameter circle - or semi circle at least, which I think must be relatively modern.
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Log Text: From the hamlet of Rouffignac, this little dolmen is signposted and easily found, about 400 metres along the track opposite the farm, first to the west, and then south (left) into a little recently cleared area amongst thet trees. The dolmen is a simple thing, with a 2.5 by 2.5 metre capstone sat on three upright supports, about one metre above the ground. The capstone has several 30 mm cupules carved into it, and also a fairly large diameter circle - or semi circle at least, which I think must be relatively modern.
Pierre a Cupules (Arnac)
Trip No.204 Entry No.169 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 5
Pierre a Cupules (Arnac) submitted by theCaptain on 27th Jul 2012. On the northern face, also flattened, the whole stone is covered with these cupules, loads and loads of them. There must be at least a hundred.
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Log Text: On a green grassy area at the southern edge of the village of Arnac, is found this nice standing stone, standing about 2.5 metres tall. But the noticeable thing about this stone are all the cupules, or cupmarks, engraved into it.
Not immediately obvious in the mid day sunshine, but the first marks to stand out are on the southeast edge, where there appears to be a couple of rows of 35 mm diameter holes running in a line up the edge. Closer inspection shows a very flat southern face - possibly with checkerboard markings on it, and cupules running up the edges from top to bottom. On the northern face, also flattened, the whole stone is covered with these cupules, loads and loads of them. There must be at least a hundred. There does not appear to be anything on the two sides of the stone.
Ceinturat Menhir
Trip No.204 Entry No.168 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Ceinturat Menhir submitted by theCaptain on 31st Jul 2012. These days it is in a little woodland clearing, surrounded on one side by oak forest, the other by gorse and bracken. Shaded by the trees as it is, it looks like it is a stone tree trunk with branches growing out of it.
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Log Text: "Megalithes" are signposted to the south of Montemart, and following these signs takes you first to a parking place from where a 700 metre walk to the Ceinturat Menhir can be taken. I was surprised by how big it is, as it is taller than 5 metres and looks like the top has been broken off. It has a flat north face, but a rounded southern face, which faces downhill. These days it is in a little woodland clearing, surrounded on one side by oak forest, the other by gorse and bracken. Shaded by the trees as it is, it looks like it is a stone tree trunk with branches growing out of it. A nice start to the day.
La Lue Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.163 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 21st Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
La Lue dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 23rd Jul 2013. A couple of kilometres to the west of Berneuil can be found the dolmen de Lalue.
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Log Text: To the west of Berneuil, travel a couple of kilometres along the D.83 and you come to this dolmen at a bend in the road, just after a crossroads, where it is about 30 metres into the field. It has a 4 m by 2 m chamber facing east, made of two long sidestones and with two smaller stones at the back of the chamber, which are made of a different coloured rock. I wonder if it has been "restored". It is covered by a large single capstone about 5m by 4m, but this is now cracked and broken into two pieces. There are traces of a small stone mound around it.
Borderie Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.164 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 21st Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
Borderie dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 24th Jul 2013. This is a very pleasant and nice looking dolmen on first sight, standing almost 2 metres tall. But closer inspection leaves me wondering about its authenticity. Firstly there is a fence built right through it, and secondly the entrance, with a fallen stone, is to the west.
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Log Text: A couple of kilometres west of Berneuil, along the D.83, turn right at the crossroads besides the La Lue dolmen. After a couple of hundred metres there is a trackway to the right, and signposted "dolmen", and then walk along there for another couple of hundred metres.
This is a very pleasant and nice looking dolmen on first sight, standing almost 2 metres tall. But closer inspection leaves me wondering about its authenticity. Firstly there is a fence built right through it, and secondly the entrance, with a fallen stone, is to the west. Inspection of the support stones shows many of them to have been broken and cemented back together from fragments. It is obviously a reconstruction of some sort, but how accurate I would not like to say. However, the chamber is about 3.5 m by 2.5 m with a nice capstone sitting proudly on top at head height.
Betoulle dolmen 1
Trip No.204 Entry No.166 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 21st Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Betoulle dolmen 1 submitted by milka on 3rd May 2006. This dolmen is about 30m from Betoulle Dolmen n°1.
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Log Text: I spent quite some time looking for the second dolmen here, in all the hedges and adjacent fields nearby. But never just a few yards across the same field, where a large slab can be found ! Doh !
Betoulle dolmen 3
Trip No.204 Entry No.167 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 21st Jul 2005
Betoulle dolmen 3 submitted by irundarra on 11th May 2011. Site in Berneuil (HAUTE VIENNE)
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Log Text: Some stone slab remains at the base of a tree in the field the other side of the road.
Menhir du Pic
Trip No.204 Entry No.171 Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Couldn't find on 22nd Jul 2005
Menhir du Pic submitted by milka on 3rd May 2006. This menhir is broken and it has been restored in 1985. Its total height is 5.30m.
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Log Text: I could not find this.
Dolmen de l'Héritière
Trip No.205 Entry No.22 Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Couldn't find on 31st Aug 2005
Dolmen de l'Héritière submitted by ocdolmen on 25th May 2009. Near Arnac la Poste, the dolmen of l'Héritière
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Log Text: To the southwest of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, between Bouéry and Bras dolmens, in the commune of Arnac-la-Poste, is another dolmen marked on my ign 1:100,000 map, near to the hamlet of L'Ecluse. At the road junction, there was a sign with a dolmen marked on it, with a name something like Le Pau Montbugnard. But following the sign, I was unable to find another, and was not able to find the dolmen. Parking along these little roads was difficult, so I was not able to get out and have a proper look around in the fields and woods. Shame, because the other two round here are little crackers. I could not find a detailed map to look at in either St-Sulpice or Arnac.
Palet de Sanson
Trip No.200 Entry No.30 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2000. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 4
Palet de Sanson submitted by thecaptain on 6th Dec 2003. the Dolmen de Sem, also know as Palet de Sanson.
A remarkably sited dolmen in the Pyrenees, near to the village of Vicdessos, Ariege, France
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Log Text: Drive south from Toulouse with the intention of climbing the Pic des Trois Seigneurs, have to stop, too much snow at 2055m. Superb up here. Back via Aulus, Arse, Seix. Strange language spoken out here. On the way down, stop to look at the Dolmen de Sem, also know as Palet de Sanson. A remarkably sited dolmen in the Pyrenees, near to the village of Vicdessos, Ariege, France. Pictures taken 1st May 2000. I discovered this dolmen while driving up the valley on a day trip to climb the Pic des Trois Seigneurs (I failed to get to the top due to the depth of the snow on the final ridge), which may be the mountain in the left background of this picture.
Grotte de Mas D'Azil
Trip No.205 Entry No.70 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 10th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5
Grotte de Mas D'Azil submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. The northern, downstream, exit of the Grotte de Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
The river has taken a shortcut through the hill and has created a massive and magnificent cave. Artefacts found within this cave include the world famous Faon aux Oiseaux spear thrower, which along with other items has given the Azilian name to an entire prehistoric culture.
There are also several dolmens in the area.
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Log Text: Parked at the upstream end of the Mas d'Azil cave, and it hits home again just how MASSIVE this cave is. I walk through the cave again, partly to check where the low bits are for the van. I have forgotten that you can see all sorts of bits and pieces of passages inside.
Decided not to bother with the paid visit, although perhaps I should have, cos I spent enough other time here anyway. A bungy jump has been set up outside the south entrance to the cave, and I watch people doing this for a while - seeing people dropping and hanging in front of the cave entrance really shows the scale. Eventually leave and drive through the cave to the village.
Cap-Del Pouech Dolmen
Trip No.200 Entry No.2 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 27th Feb 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Cap-Del Pouech dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. Cap-Del Pouech dolmen near Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
I am not 100% sure whether this is the famed Cap del Pouech dolmen or another. I parked at the Southern entrance to the cave and followed a marked walking trail up and over the hill above the cave, following signs to the dolmen. There were other dolmens signposted in the area.
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Log Text: Lovely walk to the dolmen from Mas D'Azil across the top of the cave. Signs suggest there are more here.
Grotte de Bédeilhac
Trip No.200 Entry No.12 Date Added: 15th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 2nd Apr 2000
Grotte de Bédeilhac submitted by thecaptain on 14th Feb 2005. Grotte de Bédeilhac, near Tarascon in Ariège, which contains some fine cave art, and sculpted clay figures.
A cave of which the entrance is so big, aeroplanes have been built within it during the war, and taken off from within.
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Log Text: Drive S through Pyrénées mountains to Andorra. Lots of snow at top of pass. Look at Ax-les-Thermes, Niaux and other caves on way back.
A cave of which the entrance is so big, aeroplanes were to have been built within it during the war, and taken off from within.
Grotte de Niaux
Trip No.200 Entry No.15 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 16th Apr 2000. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4
Grotte de la Petite Caougno submitted by thecaptain on 14th Feb 2005. The main entrance to the fabulous Niaux cave used for visitors is now further up the hillside than it once was. In ancient times, there would have been several lower, smaller entrances. This picture is of one of the small side entrances to a cave shelter in the vicinity, in which ancient remains have been found.
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Log Text: Full guided visit Grotte de Niaux with Sean. Fabulous. So glad I booked this up last week.
Montségur museum
Trip No.200 Entry No.24 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Museum
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Mar 2000. My rating: Access 4
Montségur museum submitted by thecaptain on 16th Feb 2005. Montségur village. Looking down onto the village from the walls of the hilltop castle. There is an interesting museum in the village with all sorts of ancient stuff found here contained within.
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Log Text: Small museum with lots of items in the village of Montségur below the sacred hill known as Le Pog.
Montségur
Trip No.200 Entry No.23 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Apr 2000. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3
Montségur submitted by thecaptain on 16th Feb 2005. Montségur Pog. The castle where the last stand of the Cathars took place against the Catholic Church can be seen here on top of the sacred hill known as the Pog. More than 200 unarmed Parfaits were defeated and burned here in 1244.
However, the Pog, seen here from the northwest, has been inhabited since neolithic times.
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Log Text: A lovely sunny day to explore. Puivert castle. Fontestorbes. Montsegur Castle. Pass de ? closed. Plain de ? Ax-les-Thermes, Col de Portel, scary roads. Mas D’Azil. Toulouse late.
Ancient defended settlement on top of the sacred hill known as The Pog at Montségur in Ariège. Although the main remains of the castle date back to the time of the Cathars, there is plenty of evidence that this hill has been inhabited since time immemorial. There is a little museum with lots of items in the village below the Pog.
Montségur is more well known as the site of the slaughter of the last of the Cathars by the catholic church in 1244, where after a long siege, 200 unarmed Cathar Parfaits were defeated and burned in a pyre by an army numbering 10,000. The Castle dungeon has a strange solar event each summer solstice, as the first rays of the rising sun shine right through the two arrow slots on one side, and straight out through two others on the far side. Was this built into it deliberately ? One might be a fluke, but two ?