Saint-Uzec menhir

Trip No.214  Entry No.22  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 17th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Thought Dad would like to see this one, so chose this as the only megalithic site to specifically go look at after leaving Ploumenach about midday and driving round the coast road. We get here with nobody else around, the sky is a perfect blue and lots of birds chirrupping away. I think that when I have been here before it has either been dull grey sky, or with the sun in the wrong direction making photos bad, but today it is really looking terrific, with the carvings clearly showing up.

Dad seems very interested in why it is all carved like this, and it is significant that it is currently Easter holiday, and only yesterday somebody commented about my resurrection from Ile Carn. Although the carvings were all very clear, we could not be sure what they are all meant to represent, clearly neither of us are fully clued up on Catholic religion and its symbolism! Me being me, I particularly like the sun and the moon at the top of the stone. Fabulous.

Keryvon allée couverte

Trip No.214  Entry No.20  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 17th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Doing a little coastal route after leaving Ploumanach, and the remains of this allée couverte are right beside the D.788 road from Trébeurden to Trégastel, only feet from the cliff edge.

Crec'h Quillé

Trip No.203  Entry No.569  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 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This allée couverte to the south of Perros Guirec is situated just to the east of the busy D.788 dual carriageway, and signposted from it, but most people will go whizzing straight past. From the parking area beside the main road, it is just a couple of hundred metres, but is walking access only. It's set in a nice little plot, probably originally intended for a house when it was discovered in about 1960.

It is surprisingly complete except for the capstones, and still has most of its surrounding mound and outer peristalith of alternating slabs and drystone walling. This is a rarity in these parts, a lateral entry allée couverte, with the main chamber running east west at 073°, and the entrance about two thirds the way along on the southern side.

The chamber is about 15 metres in length, by 1.7 metres width, but its surrounding mound is much larger. Just inside the main chamber, opposite to the entrance, is a smoothed and carved slab, which on one face, facing into the chamber, contains a pair of "breasts" with a large collar or crossed arms underneath. The adjacent face, which faces towards the smaller end of the monument, appears to have a "crosse" shape engraved on it. At this point are two capstones, which no doubt helped to preserve the engravings here. There is the base of a large stone just outside the entry, which is thought to be the base of an indicator menhir. The tumulus has been dated to about 2500BC.

I was going to drive past this myself in a rush to get somewhere else, but I am very glad I did stop to see it, and my visit lasted over an hour, which means I will be late to camp again tonight. A very nice monument.

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.

L'Armor menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.567  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Couldn't find on 24th Jun 2005

Log Text: This menhir is in a private garden with a massive thick hedge surrounding it. I didn't get to see the stone, but it is supposedly about 2 metres in height.

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.

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.

Trois-Tables-en-Place

Trip No.203  Entry No.563  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 4 Ambience 5 Access 2

Log Text: The Trois-Tables-en-Place is a bit of a monster allée couverte, on the little island of Ile-Milliau which is reachable by foot only an hour or so each side of low tide. It is situated on a low flat spot just behind the farm buildings, in pretty much the middle of the island.

It has three capstones still on top of the upright supports, hence it's name, and there is at least another one fallen at the eastern end. It is about 14 metres long by 2 metres wide, and more than 2 metres high, with more than enough room to comfortably stand up inside.

What a lovely situation this is in, out in the sea amongst all these rocks and islets. The island itself is now a nature reserve and the previous buildings are uninhabited. This is a smashing place, and well worth the effort of a visit. There are rabbits hopping around everywhere, but a pity it has started to rain.

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.

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.

St Samson Chapel well

Trip No.203  Entry No.560  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Just to the north of the St Samson chapel is a splendid little spring and well house, with clear water bubbling up from within it.

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.

Kerguntuil allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.558  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 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Just about 100 metres upslope from the Kergunteuil dolmen can be found its neighbouring allée couverte, also signposted and kept in a little area. This one again has been incorporated into a field wall at some time in the past, which has no doubt ensured its survival.

It is 8 metres in length, oriented at 070° and has 4 capstones covering the 1.5 metre wide, 1 metre high chamber. The entrance is at the northwest end in the side, but I am not sure if this is the original. Inside the chamber are a few stones with engravings on them, one being particularly spectacular in the middle of the northern side. On it is a row of 6 pairs of outstanding spheres, most of which have a U shape carved beneath them, and which are interpreted as pairs of breasts. There is also another pair higher up. Several "palette" shapes are also carved, and several other symbols. The stone adjacent has a sort of crescent on it. A boat perhaps ? This is an excellent place to visit.

Kerguntuil Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.557  Date Added: 3rd Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: This is a large single chambered dolmen, easily found and signposted, and kept in a little fenced off area in a field. It has at times in the more recent past as both a stable and a house. The chamber is about 5 metres by 2 metres, and a good 2 metres in height, all covered with a single large capstone. Three large side supports remain, but the others have been broken up and made into large block walls around the chamber.

There is evidence of a fireplace with chimney, an oven, a doorway with hinges and windows, all created with the stones. Quite a desireable residence in its time, no doubt, and a pleasant and interesting place to visit nowadays. It is still partially below ground level, and much of its mound remains behind it, at the west side.

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.

Prajou-Menhir allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.555  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 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a terriffic allée couverte approaching 14 metres long and facing towards its indicator menhir at orientation 103°. Seven capstones of varying sizes are still in place, the two westernmost being the covers for a separate end cell of about 2.5 metres length. Within this end cell are many carvings, including pairs of breasts, cartouches, palettes and many others. Approaching 2 metres wide, it is not much more than a metre in height.

It has probably been helped in its survival by being incorporated into a wall at some stage in the past, but of which all immediate traces have now been removed.

It is easily found in a little grassy area just to the south of the road to Ile Grande, with a signpost, and is a part of a local "Megalith Trail", details of which can be obtained from the local tourist office. There are several other menhirs in this area of land, just above the high tide level and marshy.

Prajou-Menhir menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.554  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 4 Access 4

Log Text: The "indicator menhir" just outside and in front of the allée couverte. It is about 1.7 metres high but nicely weathered.

Ty-Lia (Île Grande)

Trip No.203  Entry No.553  Date Added: 2nd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 23rd Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: This looks to be a fairly complete standard allée couverte well signposted and in a little grassy area on Ile-Grande, just off the coast near Trebeurden. It is about 9 metres long by 1.5 metres wide, and oriented to 110°. There are two large capstones which cover most of the chamber. Many of the outer peristalith stones survive, particularly on the southern side and the back end, and there are traces of the mound within them.

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.