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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
Kerguntuil dolmen submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. There are two sites here: a dolmen and a more interesting allee couverte.
Photo shows dolmen with allee couverte in the background. Taken June 1994.
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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.
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
Kerguntuil allée couverte submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. Allee couverte from the NE. The entrance is on the right.
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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.
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
Keryvon allée couverte submitted by thecaptain on 27th Feb 2007. Right beside the D.788 road from Trébeurden to Trégastel, and only feet from the cliff edge, is the remains of this 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. At the back, near the hedge, I think that there are a few peristalith stones also.
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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.
Tossen-Keler Cromlech (1964-2018)
Trip No.214 Entry No.23 Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 17th Apr 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5
Tossen-Keler Cromlech (1964-2018) submitted by thecaptain on 25th May 2007. The cromlech that once surrounded Tossen Keler tumulus have been moved to the quayside at the pleasant old port town of Tréguier.
Much of the horseshoe is here, but there was once a few stones with engravings on them, which are now in some museum or other somewhere, and have been replaced here with more modern stones.
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Log Text: Following lunch in the old town at Treguier we were then heading north along the river to go and sort out the Roche Jaune menhir quandary, so first did a little detour by dropping down from the old town to the quayside for a quick look at the Tossen Keler cromlech.
Poor thing is looking very unloved today, with vehicles parked all around it and various funfair or market stalls nearby. In this situation, it looks not much more than a load of big stones used to divide up the quayside into carpark, boatyard, and other areas. What a shame. Dad was asking why it has been moved here, and I have to say, I still have absolutely no idea.
Tossen-Keler Cromlech (1964-2018)
Trip No.195 Entry No.41 Date Added: 5th Jun 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 25th Jun 1995. My rating: Access 5
Tossen-Keler Cromlech (1964-2018) submitted by thecaptain on 25th May 2007. The cromlech that once surrounded Tossen Keler tumulus have been moved to the quayside at the pleasant old port town of Tréguier.
Much of the horseshoe is here, but there was once a few stones with engravings on them, which are now in some museum or other somewhere, and have been replaced here with more modern stones.
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Log Text: Cross Channel sailing trip from Plymouth, after a 19 hour crossing in rough conditions we berthed in Treguier for some well deserved rest and relaxation. The remains of this cromlech have been positioned on the quayside.
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
Crec'h Quillé submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. A well-preserved allee-couverte with entrance, E/W chamber and mound. Art on one of the chamber stones opposite the entrance.
Photo looking E, taken June 1994.
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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.
Champ des Roches
Trip No.208 Entry No.2 Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 20th Mar 2008. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4
Champ des Roches submitted by thecaptain on 2nd Jul 2005. About 70 big white quartz stones arranged in 5 lines, perhaps 6, which are not quite parallel as they converge towards the east.
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Log Text: None
Temple de Mars
Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Temple
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 19th Sep 1992. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5
Temple de Mars submitted by regina on 21st Nov 2018. Site in Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22) France
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, day 2, Dinan, Corseul, St Caste. Roman tower, dolmens, Lunch at Le Guildo castle.
Having cycled to this site with the others, all I got was scorn due to the state of the remains. I think it was here that the phrase HOC was first coined. I thought it was interesting.
Doigt de Gargantua (Côtes-D'Armor)
Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 1992. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
Doigt de Gargantua (Côtes-D'Armor) submitted by johnstone on 4th Mar 2019. The monolith with the fortress at the left side and the bushes not so high on June 6, 2004
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, Brittany, day 3, Fort La Latte, Cap Frehel, Les Sables d’Or.
This 2.5 metre tall, thin menhir stands guard beside the footpath overlooking the splendid Forte de la Latte, at the headland of the same name to the east of Cap Fréhel.
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
Saint-Uzec menhir submitted by TheCaptain on 22nd Apr 2011. Its crowning glory is the way it has been christianised with the addition of a granite cross on top and 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. This was all done in 1674, when the nearby chapel was built.
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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.
Menhir Bois-es-Lucas
Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Couldn't find on 19th Sep 1992
Menhir Bois-es-Lucas submitted by regina on 30th Sep 2018. Site in Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22) France
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, day 2, Dinan, Corseul, St Caste. Roman tower, dolmens, Lunch at Le Guildo castle. Failed to find
Liscuis 3 allée couverte
Trip No.203 Entry No.581 Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3
Liscuis 3 allée couverte submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. Looking E.
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Log Text: There are three allée couvertes here on the hilltop on the ridge overlooking the river Dourla, and beside the busy GR37 footpath. They are signposted from all around, and are several hundred metres walk uphill and along the ridge from a little car park. They are all suffering badly from neglect and vandalism, which is a great shame as I was reading a book from 25 years ago which says that they have only recently been discovered and are in a wonderful condition and almost complete. I guess it doesn't help that the rock is a very splitty dark grey slate type rock, which now it is exposed takes little to break it. While I was up there, many people walked past, many kicking the stones as they went, with children (and adults) jumping up and down on them.
This seems to be a V shaped dolmen rather than a pure allée couverte with its chamber widening from less than a metre wide to greater than two metres wide for the main part. Approximately 12 metres long, it has three capstones in place, and faces approximately west at 210°.
It is suffering very badly, not only from graffitti, but also official damage in the form of footpath sign paintings and markings. There is a separate cell at the back, with an entry doorstone, at an angle, making a triangular entrance.
Liscuis 2 allée couverte
Trip No.203 Entry No.582 Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Liscuis 2 allée couverte submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. Looking S over the end cell.
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Log Text: There are three allée couvertes here on the hilltop on the ridge overlooking the river Dourla, and beside the busy GR37 footpath. They are signposted from all around, and are several hundred metres walk uphill and along the ridge from a little car park. They are all suffering badly from neglect and vandalism, which is a great shame as I was reading a book from 25 years ago which says that they have only recently been discovered and are in a wonderful condition and almost complete. I guess it doesn't help that the rock is a very splitty dark grey slate type rock, which now it is exposed takes little to break it. While I was up there, many people walked past, many kicking the stones as they went, with children (and adults) jumping up and down on them.
A bit further along the ridge than the other two, and off the main path, this one seems to have suffered a bit less from the vandalism. It faces north at 010° and is about 14 metres long, up to 2.5 metres wide, and 2 metres high, with the southern 3 metres being a seperate cell, both ends narrow down to only a metre wide. It has a paved floor, but there is only one capstone remaining in place. It is still mostly within its mound.
Liscuis 1 allée couverte
Trip No.203 Entry No.583 Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3
Liscuis 1 allée couverte submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. Well-preserved allee couverte with surviving stones marking the edge of the mound and an end cell. Photo from E showing end cell. June 1994.
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Log Text: There are three allée couvertes here on the hilltop on the ridge overlooking the river Dourla, and beside the busy GR37 footpath. They are signposted from all around, and are several hundred metres walk uphill and along the ridge from a little car park. They are all suffering badly from neglect and vandalism, which is a great shame as I was reading a book from 25 years ago which says that they have only recently been discovered and are in a wonderful condition and almost complete. I guess it doesn't help that the rock is a very splitty dark grey slate type rock, which now it is exposed takes little to break it. While I was up there, many people walked past, many kicking the stones as they went, with children (and adults) jumping up and down on them.
Right beside the busy (on a June Sunday afternoon) GR37 footpath, this allée couverte is suffering badly from neglect and vandalism. The chamber is 11 metres in length, and oriented to the east at 070°. Just two capstones are in place on the chamber which varies from 1 metre wide at the ends, to 2 metres wide at the middle. Part of the surrounding mound survives. There is a terminal cell at the western end, and a doorstone at the eastern end.
Ville-Tinguy dolmen
Date Added: 12th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 19th Sep 1992
Ville-Tinguy dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 20th Dec 2008. I have seen this described as an allée couverte, but it looked more like a simple dolmen to me, unless there is much of it ruined and not visible amongst the crops. At least one capstone is held up proudly in place for all to see as they drive past.
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, day 2, Dinan, Corseul, St Caste. Roman tower, dolmens, Lunch at Le Guildo castle.
La Hautière
Date Added: 12th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 19th Sep 1992
La Hautière submitted by theCaptain on 18th Mar 2014. This is a fairly large allée couverte in a field to the east of the D.768 road between Créhen and Trégon, which had just been cropped for hay when I visited in 2005, so it was easy to get to.
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, day 2, Dinan, Corseul, St Caste. Roman tower, dolmens, Lunch at Le Guildo castle.
Ville Génouhan allée couverte
Date Added: 12th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 19th Sep 1992
Ville Génouhan allée couverte submitted by theCaptain on 20th Mar 2014. Remains of a fairly standard looking allée couverte 12 metres long with still 6 capstones in place. Most of the sidestones seem to have collapsed inwards, making much of it look like not much more than a long pile of stones.
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Log Text: Cycling camping trip round Emerald Coast, day 2, Dinan, Corseul, St Caste. Roman tower, dolmens, Lunch at Le Guildo castle.
La Ganterie
Trip No.208 Entry No.4 Date Added: 13th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 20th Mar 2008. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4
La Ganterie submitted by thecaptain on 9th Apr 2008. Revisiting this in March 2008, it was not so overgrown as it had been in June 2005, but it was still impossible to tell how long the allée couverte was, with the eastern end (right) all covered in very thick brambles and other bushes.
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Log Text: Revisiting this in March 2008, and it was not so overgrown as it had been in June 2005, but it was still impossible to tell how long the allée couverte was, with the eastern end all covered in very thick brambles and other bushes. The more open western end has one or two capstones still sitting on top of their supports, with the two side walls of the allée being about 1.5 metres apart.
Coët Correc allée couverte
Trip No.203 Entry No.584 Date Added: 8th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Coët Correc allée couverte submitted by greywether on 26th Jun 2005. Detail of the entrance and porthole at the E end.
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Log Text: A few kilometres to the east of Liscuis can be found this nice allée couverte. Once off the busy N.?? Road, it is thankfully signposted, as it's a bit of a tortuous journey to get there. From a parking place up a steep lane, it's then several hundred metres of walking, some of which is overgrown, to find the monument.
Once you get there, you are immediately taken aback by what has happened to it, presumably as an act of christianisation, as a large double staircased calvary has been built right over the end of the chamber ! A most interesting feature !
The prehistoric remains are of an 11 metre long allée couverte, facing east at 095°, but with a lateral entry on the southern side near the eastern end. The main chamber is about 1.5 metres wide, up to 2 metres tall, and is paved, but has only the two westernmost capstones still in place. There is a little vestibule arrangement south of the entry, which is blocked off with two doorstones, which have an oval entrance carved into them, which is only just big enough for me to squeeze through, a very nice feature. A pity it was all a bit overgrown though.
Thiemblais menhir
Trip No.208 Entry No.3 Date Added: 10th Jun 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Côtes-D'Armor (22))
Visited: Yes on 20th Mar 2008. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4
Thiemblais menhir submitted by neolithique02 on 21st Feb 2014. Le menhir de Saint-Samson sur Rance (Côtes d'Armor) Site in Bretagne:Côtes-D''Armor (22) France
Image copyright: Néolithique02, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.
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Log Text: My second visit to this most wonderful menhir, about 1:30pm, late March 2008, in a hazy sun, and some of the carvings on the front face can be seen. An hour or two earlier would have been better, as would a stronger sun. After a while, you "get your eye in" and more and more wonderful carvings come into view. I can see on here (with the eye of the knowing, and the full def picture) the animal (mid left, just above the quartz vein) and a couple of crosses and other bits and pieces.
Having got hold of a new book about the megalithes around Dinan, I can report that a revised picture of the carvings has been published in the last year or so, after various techniques have been used to make the carvings more prominent. These seem to agree more with what I saw several years ago and have been recorded in my photographs. Mind you, it seems that the "animal" on the mid left of the stone may have turned around, and its legs almost doubled in length !!! Now it is perhaps running to the right, rather than grazing to the left....
But to be serious for a while, this really is one of the most magnificent megalithic sites I have visited, and it has the capability of bringing emotions to the surface. Here is plain evidence of the cross symbol being used at important places 2500 years or more BC. And the importance of the animals....
And the shaping of the stone - look how flat the main face is, and how straight the upright edges are, even after about 5000 years of erosion. And this surely couldn't have been a one off ? Surely many more of these wonderful menhirs would have been carved and patterned ? Damn all those girls and floozies who have climbed and slid down the stone in their birth knickers in the hope of getting wed. The front face is almost polished smooth, with the carvings almost rubbed smooth.