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Dolmen de Tella
Trip No.200 Entry No.75 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: Spain (Aragón)
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 2000. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 4
Dolmen de Tella submitted by thecaptain on 2nd Dec 2003. The Dolmen de Tella in the Spanish Pyrenees. A few miles to the south of Bielsa, a road climbs towards the top of the mountain with the ancient village of Tella at the top. Before reaching the top, there is this most spectacularly situated dolmen.
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Log Text: Ten days touring and exploring in the Pyrenees. Drive from St-Lary-Soulan through the Tunnel de Bielsa into Spain. Bielsa, Tella, Ainsa, then long way to Torla-Ordesa. this is a magnificently situated dolmen, high up on the mountainside below the village of Tella in the Spanish Pyrenees. A few miles to the south of Bielsa, a road climbs towards the top of the mountain with the ancient village of Tella at the top. Before reaching the top, there is this most spectacularly situated dolmen.
Bruniquel Cave
Trip No.200 Entry No.70 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Tarn-et-Garonne (82))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 27th Aug 2000
Bruniquel Cave submitted by TheCaptain on 26th Mar 2019. From Portail des Mégalithes de la Francophonie
At The 11Ème Festival International du Film d'Archéologie de Nyon, archaeological news will be in the spotlight with the presentation, in preview, of the film "the mystery of the cave of bruniquel". this documentary presents the recent research that allowed the dating of a structure made by neanderthal man in a cave 175 000 years ago: it would therefore be the oldest human construction known to this day.
Director Luc-Henri Fage will b...
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Log Text: Drive north from Toulouse to explore Bruniquel, Penne, Gorges d’Aveyron, Caussade
Dolmen de la Jagartière
Trip No.200 Entry No.65 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Access 4
Dolmen de la Jagartière submitted by thecaptain on 20th Mar 2006. The noticeboard beside the La Jagartière dolmen.
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Log Text: Drive SE from Toulouse to explore Les Montagnes Noire. Revel, Saissac, Mas Cabardès, Chateaux de Lastours, Gorges de la Clamoux, Dolmens, Pic de Nore, Mazamet, Toulouse. These dolmens were up a steep hillside road from Villeneuve Minervois with a tremendous view
Tombeau de Roland
Trip No.200 Entry No.64 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Access 4
Tombeau de Roland submitted by thecaptain on 12th Mar 2006. Just up the hillside a bit from Dolmen de La Jagartière can be found the Tombeau de Roland.
Once thought to be a megalithic tomb, the latest thoughts are that it is nothing more than a place from where a large rock has been quarried. But why up here ?
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Log Text: Drive SE from Toulouse to explore Les Montagnes Noire. Revel, Saissac, Mas Cabardès, Chateaux de Lastours, Gorges de la Clamoux, Dolmens, Pic de Nore, Mazamet, Toulouse. These dolmens were up a steep hillside road from Villeneuve Minervois
Roque Traoucado
Trip No.200 Entry No.63 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Access 4
Roque Traoucado submitted by thecaptain on 13th Mar 2006. The sign beside the Roque Traoucado. Well, most of it anyway !
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Log Text: Drive SE from Toulouse to explore Les Montagnes Noire. Revel, Saissac, Mas Cabardès, Chateaux de Lastours, Gorges de la Clamoux, Dolmens, Pic de Nore, Mazamet, Toulouse. These dolmens were up a steep hillside road from Villeneuve Minervois
Allée Couverte de Saint-Eugène
Trip No.200 Entry No.63 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Access 4
Allée Couverte de Saint-Eugène submitted by thecaptain on 14th Mar 2006. Up on top of a pine covered hill is an open flattish area, upon which is built this lovely tomb. It has all been much restored, so quite how much is original I do not know.
The first thing you see is a circular stone wall containing a stone cairn, about a metre high and about 25 metres in diameter, with upright slabs every 5 metres or so around its circumference. Within this is the remains of a massive structure, and a partitioned chamber.
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Log Text: Day out from Toulouse to explore Minerve ancient village, Rock tunnels, Morrel das Fadas, St Eugene. it was getting late and the roads and map didnt seem to match. I just followed signs to something like fairy hill, and on top of a hill was this amazing site, with a circular walled structure with various chambers and passages in it.
Morrel das Fadas
Trip No.200 Entry No.62 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4
Morrel das Fadas submitted by thecaptain on 6th Dec 2003. The Dolmen des Fades, near to the village of Pepieux, in the Minervois region of Aude, southwest France
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Log Text: Day out from Toulouse to explore Minerve ancient village, Rock tunnels, Morrel das Fadas, St Eugene. On a little hill covered in pines to the south of the D52 road to the northeast of Carcassonne is found the remains of this teriffic allée couverte, the hill of the fairies, said to be the largest in southern France.
Tourenne Gallo-Roman Villa
Trip No.200 Entry No.56 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2000. My rating: Access 5
Log Text: Drive west from Toulouse to explore Gascony. Montmaurin, Mielan, Mirande, Condom, St Puy, Fleurance, Mauvezin, Cologne. Fields of sunflowers, beautiful. Stopped by this Roman villa, but it was going to take too long for a proper visit, so satisfied myself with a look over the hedge from the car park.
Grottes et abris préhistoriques de la vallée de la Save
Trip No.200 Entry No.55 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2000. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 5
Grottes et abris préhistoriques de la vallée de la Save submitted by TheCaptain on 28th Nov 2010. In the gorges of the river Save, just below the village of Lespugue, can be found many caves and shelters which have yielded ancient remains of habitation from up to 30,000 years ago.
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Log Text: Drive west from Toulouse to explore Gascony. Montmaurin, Mielan, Mirande, Condom, St Puy, Fleurance, Mauvezin, Cologne. Fields of sunflowers, beautiful. An intriguing little road through a gorge with lots of cliff shelters and cave which contained ancient remains.
Dolmen dit Collets de Collioure
Trip No.200 Entry No.52 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2000. My rating: Access 3
Log Text: Weekend to explore Collioure area. Drive coast road Port Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Cerbere, into Spain, Portbou, Platja de Garbet to Figueras. Beautiful but slow. Signs to dolmens. Dali Museum brilliant. Back to Collioure through mountains, Argeles-sur-Mer. Look for the dolmens near Collioure, Fairly long walk up past the Chateau de Valmy, but only found one.
Dolmen Da Cova de l'Alarb
Trip No.200 Entry No.51 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 26th Jun 2000. My rating: Access 3
Dolmen Da Cova de l'Alarb submitted by Petercastle on 31st Jul 2005. The dolmen seen from the east.
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Log Text: Weekend to explore Collioure area. Drive coast road Port Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Cerbere, into Spain, Portbou, Platja de Garbet to Figueras. Beautiful but slow. Signs to dolmens. Dali Museum brilliant. Back to Collioure through mountains, Argeles-sur-Mer. Look for the dolmens near Collioure, Fairly long walk up past the Chateau de Valmy, but only found one.
Autel Druidique de Saint-Jean
Trip No.200 Entry No.46 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Holed Stone
Country: France (Midi:Tarn-et-Garonne (82))
Visited: Couldn't find on 28th May 2000
Autel Druidique de Saint-Jean submitted by lafemmedepierre on 22nd Jun 2019. Site in Midi:Tarn-et-Garonne (82) France
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Log Text: Drive north from Toulouse to explore Montauban, Castelsarrasin, Caussade. Had a quick look for these things marked on my map, but found nothing
Piquecos tumulus
Trip No.200 Entry No.45 Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Midi:Tarn-et-Garonne (82))
Visited: Couldn't find on 28th May 2000
Log Text: Drive north from Toulouse to explore Montauban, Castelsarrasin, Caussade. Had a quick look for these things marked on my map, but found nothing
Le Cercle de Rennes-les-Bains
Trip No.200 Entry No.41 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Couldn't find on 21st May 2000. My rating: Access 3
Log Text: Visit Rennes-le-Chateau with some of the Americans. Walk into the hills to look for stone circle, but find nothing obvious.
Montségur
Trip No.200 Entry No.36 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2000
Montségur submitted by thecaptain on 16th Feb 2005. Montségur Pog, seen here from the southwest, has been inhabited and defended since neolithic times.
But it is more well known for its Cathar castle, and as the site of the slaughter of the last of the Cathars by the catholic church in 1244.
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 mi...
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Log Text: Dad over to Toulouse for a long weekend. Explore Mirepoix. Montsegur, Couiza, Rennes-le-Chateau, very strange place. Gorges St George upper Aude valley, Col de Pailleres (2001m). Ax-les-Thermes, Tarascon, Foix, and back to Toulouse.
Carcassonne - La Cité
Trip No.200 Entry No.35 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th May 2000. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5
Carcassonne - La Cité submitted by thecaptain on 19th Feb 2005. La Cité de Carcassonne, seen here from the south.
Ancient citadel which goes back as far as time. Although the main remains of this fantastic fairy story city are now mediaeval much of the walls can be seen to date back to Visigoth and Roman times. This is of course, all built upon a citadel which was here long before any of them came here.
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Log Text: Dad over to Toulouse for a long weekend. Drive to Carcassonne via Naurouze and the Canal du Midi. Visit La Cité, Castle, Ramparts, Cathedral. Move on to Mirepoix for the night.
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.200 Entry No.25 Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Ariège (09))
Visited: Yes on 24th Apr 2005. My rating: Access 5
Grotte de Mas D'Azil submitted by thecaptain on 13th Dec 2003. The southern, upstream, entrance to the magnificent cave at Mas D'Azil, Ariege, southwest France.
The river takes a shortcut through the hillside here, and has created a massive cave, which is so big that a fairly large road also runs through the cave.
Within this cave were found signs of life going back tens of thousands of years, and indeed the world famous Faon aux Oiseaux spear thrower. The finds here gave the name Azilian to an entire prehistoric culture.
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Log Text: A lovely sunny day to explore the Ariege mountains. Puivert castle. Fontestorbes. Montsegur Castle. Pass de ? closed. Plain de ? Ax-les-Thermes, Col de Portel, scary roads. The usual drive through of Mas D’Azil on the way home to impress visitors. Get back to Toulouse late.
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 ?