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Mérinville Polissoir
Trip No.204 Entry No.239 Date Added: 5th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Centre:Loiret (45))
Visited: Couldn't find on 5th Aug 2005
Log Text: The Mérinville Polissoir is another stone the farmers wife at Coinche said I should go to see. However, I am not exactly sure where to find it, and it is now pouring with rain, so I am not going to go for a long walk now, especially as it is getting late and starting to get dark. There is no sign to it, so I will for now leave it.
Polissoir des Davaux
Trip No.204 Entry No.240 Date Added: 5th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Centre:Loiret (45))
Visited: Couldn't find on 5th Aug 2005
Log Text: At Pers-en-Gâtinais there is another polissoir stone marked on my map, but I could find no obvious sign of this. Perhaps tomorrow.
Menhir du Bois de Forville
Trip No.204 Entry No.241 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Centre:Loiret (45))
Visited: Couldn't find on 5th Aug 2005
Log Text: To the south of Pers-en-Gâtinais there is a menhir and nearby polissoir stone marked on my map, but I could find no obvious sign of this.
Mérinville Polissoir
Trip No.204 Entry No.243 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Centre:Loiret (45))
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Aug 2005
Log Text: Today I went back for a proper look for the Mérinville Polissoir, which is another stone the farmers wife at Coinche said I should go to see. I walked a lot down the forest track near to where it is marked on my map, but there was no chance of finding it without knowing exactly where to look. There is lots of marsh and ponds in the forest which doesn't help in trying to find anything. After quite some time going to look at any rock I can see, I decide its time to give up ! Shame.
Dolmen des Grès de Linas
Trip No.204 Entry No.250 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Essonne (91))
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Aug 2005
Dolmen des Grès de Linas submitted by Sleb on 21st Jul 2015. Site in Ile-de-France:Essonne (91) France
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Log Text: I spent ages looking for this. I can only assume it is somewhere in the very dense fenced off woodland, in amongst the open fields. I am getting fed up of all this again.
Menhir de la Croix Saint Jacques
Trip No.204 Entry No.248 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Yes on 6th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Croix Saint Jacques submitted by thecaptain on 23rd Feb 2007. Menhir de la Croix Saint Jacques can be found in a field just to the south of the village of Tousson.
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Log Text: This menhir can be found in a field just to the side of the D.410 road, about 500 metres to the south of the village of Tousson. It stands about 3.3 metres tall, and is a rectangular section lump of sarsen. I found it difficult to park here.
La Pierre Clouée (Nanteau)
Trip No.204 Entry No.244 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Yes on 6th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
La Pierre Clouée (Nanteau) submitted by thecaptain on 17th Feb 2007. La Pierre Clouée, or Pierre Fitte, is a 4.5 metre tall menhir which can be found in a field south of the village of Villemarechal.
It has been ploughed very close to, and in fact is suffering from various collisions with agricultural machinery. There are also many old nails hammered into it.
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Log Text: This is a 4.5 metre tall menhir which can be found in a field south of the village of Villemarechal. Its near enough a kilometres walk from the roadside, but can easily be seen from there. It has been ploughed very close to, and in fact is suffering from various collisions with agricultural machinery. There are also several nails hammered into it. It also suffers from many overhead powerlines buzzing away, but it is still here after thousands of years, proudly overlooking the local landscape.
La Pierre Clouée translates roughly as the nailed stone - and it is an old folk tale that if one circles the stone seven times saying magic words, and then nails a bouquet to the stone, true love will be found.
Pierre de l'Armoire
Trip No.204 Entry No.247 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Yes on 6th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Pierre de l'Armoire submitted by thecaptain on 23rd Feb 2007. Pierre de l'Armoire can be found a couple of kilometres north of the village of Rumont.
It looks to be an Angevin type dolmen, with a rectangular chamber 4 metres long by 2.5 metres in width, and it is covered by a large capstone of irregular shape.
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Log Text: This dolmen can be found a couple of kilometres north of the village of Rumont, along the D.16a road. There is then a signpost to it, and it's about a kilometres walk from the road along a farm track.
The dolmen is within a cropped field, but has a reasonable area left around it, and is in the remains of a mound. it looks to be an Angevin type dolmen, with a rectangular chamber 4 metres long by 2.5 metres in width, and it is covered by a large capstone of irregular shape, up to 6 m by 4m, and it has a large hole in the west end. The entrance opens to the east at 115°, but there is not much of a porchway left, except some fallen stones. This was a nice find after all the recent poor dolmens, and nice to have it signposted.
Polissoirs des Ortures
Trip No.204 Entry No.245 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Aug 2005
Log Text: Near the hamlet of Les Ortures, in the Bois Tranzy, there is a little signposted footpath near to the reservoirs. Along this path can be found two rock outcrops, the tops of which have been used for polishing stone tools. One of the two rocks has several grooves in it, while the other has a polishing basin.
La Roche au Diable (Paley)
Trip No.204 Entry No.246 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Aug 2005
Log Text: Marked near to the menhir is a polissoir stone, in the woods down by the little river. I could find no obvious signpost or footpath towards where it is marked, and having now found out how difficult to find some of these polissoir stones are to find, I didnt spend any time looking.
Menhir dit la Pierre aux Prêtres
Trip No.204 Entry No.249 Date Added: 6th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Seine-et-Marne 77)
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Aug 2005
Menhir dit la Pierre aux Prêtres submitted by holger_rix on 24th May 2016. Menhir de Tousson (Menhir dit la Pierre aux Prêtres)
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Log Text: I could find nowhere to stop beside a nasty busy road to go and look for this stone. I could see nothing obvious.
Vielle Cote Dolmen
Trip No.202 Entry No.95 Date Added: 30th Mar 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Ile-de-France:Val-d'Oise (95))
Visited: Yes on 4th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3
Vielle Cote Dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 23rd Oct 2005. Vielle Cote Dolmen
A much ruined trench grave about 10 metres in length.
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Log Text: A much ruined trench grave about 10 metres long and 2 metres wide with an orientation of 292° looking down the hill can be found dug into the hillside in a field of crops along a lane at the top of a ridge about 400 metres south from the little lane which climbs eastwards from the village. Although marked on my ign map there are no signs or any other items to suggest its presence. Parking is available at the junction of the lane and track.
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.
Allée Couverte de Saint-Eugène
Trip No.205 Entry No.103 Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 14th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Allée Couverte de Saint-Eugène submitted by thecaptain on 6th Dec 2003. This is what I think is described as les Allees Couvertes de Saint- Eugene, .
However, 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.
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Log Text: I have now twice found this only by luck. This time I took a wrong turning (one road too soon) and ended up on a stone track across private land where I could not turn round to go back out, and then I saw a little sign to dolmen, up the hillside I remember. I managed to park the van in a wider part of the track about 500 metres away, and went back on foot to look for the site. Quite how one is meant to get here properly, I do not know !
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. The main chamber is 15 metres long, lined with large slabs, and opens to the southeast at 155°. At the back end it is 4 metres wide, and 5.5 m from the end is the remnants of a stone partition within which the remains of portal entranceway can be seen. The next section is 6 metres long, tapering to 2.5 metres wide, up to the remains of another partition with entranceway. This leaves just 3 metres of tapering corridor to the entrance in the circular wall, just 1 metre in width. Unfortunately there are no cover stones, and the entrance portals are very damaged, to the extent of being almost non existant. In the stone mound there can be seen the remains of two further intermediate circling walls, the first a U shape around the chamber, and the second a concentric circle within the outside wall.
Carcassonne - La Cité
Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 15th Sep 1978
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: Ancient citadel which goes back as far as time. Although the main remains of this fantastic fairy story city are now medieval 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.
Grand Menhir de Counozouls
Trip No.205 Entry No.84 Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 12th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Grand Menhir de Counozouls submitted by thecaptain on 15th Nov 2005. Le Grand Menhir de Counozouls, the largest in southern France, stands at 8.9 metres tall.
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Log Text: After a seemingly very long drive south from Quillan, along roads hacked into cliff faces, passing through numerous massive gorges which at times I never thought the campervan would fit through, I arrived at the village of Ste Colombe-sur-Guette. A few more miles south along the road in the valley, then climbing steeply up the side of the gorge, all the time bearing in mind theres a 3 metre height limit signposted, but which thankfully turns out to be only at one side of the road. Turn left and cross the bridge towards Cournozouls, and go a further 1.7 kilometres, until you come to a double right hand bend.
There is room to park here on the outside of the curve, and just here can be found this massive menhir, standing below the road on the steep hillside, with a little path leading down to it, and thankfully the trees around it now cleared. The stone now stands proudly in the open, with a lovely view of the village across the valley. The stone stands over 8 metres in height, making it the biggest in southern France, and one of the tallest in the entire country. It is a large granite lump, and initially looks a bit like it might be a natural lump fallen down the mountain. However it certainly looks to have been shaped, and wedged into its upright position, and I am assured it is a proper menhir.
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
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
Malves Menhir
Trip No.205 Entry No.98 Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 14th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Malves Menhir submitted by thecaptain on 6th Mar 2006. The menhir is to be found a few hundred metres west of the winemaking village of Malves-en-Minervois, and just across the river from the central wine co-op.
Although it is over 5 metres high, it is less than half a metre thick.
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Log Text: This large menhir is to be found a few hundred metres outside the village of Malves-en-Minervois, taking the D.38 road westwards towards Villalier, and just across the river. There is a little parking area, and a signposted walk for about 100 metres to the stone. Just how could I have missed this when I came to look 5 years ago ?
The stone stands proudly on a higher bit of ground above a vineyard, with steps up to the field it is in. It is over 5 metres high (with apparently 4 metres more under the ground), 1.5 metres in width but less than half a metre thick. It was restored in the 1960s and looks to have been mended from three broken pieces, although its possible that the cement like substance is perhaps just filling cracks.