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Menhir de la Cisternette
Trip No.205 Entry No.154 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5
Menhir de la Cisternette submitted by archeomick on 15th Oct 2007. La Cisternette with Coulet menhir 1 in the background.
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Log Text: About 600 metres further down the road from the Levade menhir, and on the slopes to the right of the road, can be seen this menhir. At nearly 2.5 metres tall, it has been christianised by having a cross cut into its face. It’s a nice thin almond shaped stone, but has been concreted into the ground, so I cannot be sure that it is facing in its original orientation.
Menhir du Coulet 2
Trip No.205 Entry No.155 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir du Coulet 2 submitted by ShamrockStone on 15th Jul 2017. Menhir du Coulet 2
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Log Text: This menhir is to be found out in the land to the left of the road, at the same place as the Cisternette menhir. It is over 3 metres tall, and looks to have lost its top. Its another nicely shaped slab, flat on one face, curved on the other, and only 40 cm thick.
Dolmen des Lacs 2
Trip No.205 Entry No.112 Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 15th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen des Lacs 2 submitted by richardfrance on 28th Jan 2008. We found 2 & 3 at Les Lacs but ran out of time to search for the others. (see Les Lacs 2 for more, and www.dolmen.wordpress.com for more photos, archaeologist sketches, etchings from 19th.c. and more text).
This site, like so many in lower Languedoc, received a burst of attention in the '70's & '80's from academics on their way up, only to be left languishing. Perhaps funds dried up, perhaps reputations were now made, perhaps other bigger sites had a more cachet.
But it looks to me like t...
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Log Text: From the intriguing and lovely little historic village of Minerve, take the D.147 road to the northwest, passing over the bridge and past the big car parks. The dolmens are signposted from here. The road zig-zags up the hillside for a kilometre or two and then levels out a bit. Continue for three or four kilometres, past the water reservoir, and eventually you will find a dirt track on the left, with a large stone with the word dolmens painted on it. Park somewhere, then follow this track on foot for a couple of hundred metres.
The track then splits, take the right track upwards for about three hundred more hundred metres, where to the left of the path the remains of this dolmen are visible. It sits in a mound of loose stone, about 18 metres in diameter, with some raised larger stones, set radially to the chamber, forming a partial circle around it near to the edge. The dolmen is in the centre, with a single capstone sat on top of a large back stone, and several side stones. The chamber is high enough to stand in, and about 4 m long by 2 m wide. Beyond this is an entry passageway, making a total length of about 7 metres, lined with slabs at its sides, and opening to the southeast on 165°.
The views from up here, over the plain of the Aude river are spectacular. I would imagine that on a clear day, the Mediterranean sea and the sacred mountain of Canigou are clearly visible.
Dolmen des Lacs 3
Trip No.205 Entry No.113 Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 15th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen des Lacs 3 submitted by richardfrance on 29th Jan 2008. Dolmen des Lacs 3, near the lovely village of Minerve, in Hérault.
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Log Text: From the intriguing and lovely little historic village of Minerve, take the D.147 road to the northwest, passing over the bridge and past the big car parks. The dolmens are signposted from here. The road zig-zags up the hillside for a kilometre or two and then levels out a bit. Continue for three or four kilometres, past the water reservoir, and eventually you will find a dirt track on the left, with a large stone with the word dolmens painted on it. Park somewhere, then follow this track on foot for a couple of hundred metres. The track then splits, take the right track upwards for a about four hundred metres, passing dolmen 2 on the left, and about a hundred metres further, after crossing a little ravine, you will find dolmen number 3.
It is smaller than dolmen 2, with a single capstone sat on top of two side slabs and a backstone, forming a chamber 2 metres long by 1,5 metres in width, again open to the southeast at 145°. The dolmen sits within a round mass of stones, but has no discernible entry passageway or encircling ring of stones. Dolmens 2 and 3 can be seen from each other. There are possibly the remains of several more wrecked dolmens within this area.
Coste-Caude Dolmen 1
Trip No.205 Entry No.146 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4
Coste-Caude dolmen 1 submitted by regina on 21st Jul 2008. Site in Languedoc: Hérault (34) France:
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Log Text: Leaving St Pierre towards La Vacquerie, take the first left after a kilometre, and then left again with signs towards a council works area. After 1.5 kilometres, the road gets to the top of a hill. Just below the top of the hill, there is a track to the west, with what looks like, and is marked on the maps as a menhir. It is however a sculpture of a prehistoric man from about the year 1910, and his features can be made out when looking closely.
About 150 metres along the track, it turns to the left, and on the top of the hill is this nice dolmen, restored in the 1970s. Still within its mound of stones, its a sort of double decker, with a high main chamber preceded by a lower entry corridor. The main chamber is 3 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and high enough to stand in. It has two good side stones, a nice back stone and a lovely overhanging capstone on top. In front of theis is a 4 or 5 metre long entry passageway, 0.5 metres wide and 1 metre high, and capped with two capstones. It opens towards the southwest at about 220°. A nice place to visit up here in the empty causse.
Menhir du Coulet 1
Trip No.205 Entry No.156 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir du Coulet 1 submitted by archeomick on 15th Oct 2007. Menhir du Coulet 1
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Log Text: Three hundred metres further down the road from the previous menhirs, and in the land to the north of the road, can be found the Coulet 2 menhir. Nearly 3 metres tall, it is a nice almond shaped stone, which has been mended from two parts cemented back together, and concreted into an upright position. A nice job has been done of this.
Grand Dolmen du Ferrussac
Trip No.205 Entry No.150 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5
Grand Dolmen du Ferrussac submitted by stewart on 3rd May 2004. Isn't this a beauty?
It has to be one of the most impressive dolmens I've seen - and I've been in a few in my time!
There is a long creep passageway (5m long by 1m high) leading to a central chamber (3m by 2,5).
The capstone is about 5m by 2,5m and 75cm thick.
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Log Text: 300 metres further along the road to the east from the Petit Dolmen, can be found the Grand Dolmen du Ferrussac. Which compared to the others I have seen around here is a bit of a monster. It is right beside the road, again with parking and sign.
On top of a natural mound, and within its tumulus of stones, the main chamber stones tower above everything. The tumulus is about 16 metres in diameter, and has an encircling ring of large slabs. In the centre is the main chamber, 4 metres long by 1.6 metres wide, and well over 2 metres high with a massive 4.5 metre long by 2.5 metre wide capstone on top. The entry passage is at least 5 metres long, less than a metre wide and a metre high, topped with four capstones, and is largely slab sided. Between the entry passage and the main chamber is a partitioning entry stone. The entrance faces southwest, at 235°.
It's not perfect, there has been a lot of restoration and concrete, including half of the western sideslab, but its a pretty impressive monument. There are supposedly a couple of fallen menhirs between 50 and 100 metres to the south of the dolmen, but this land is fenced off, and with some pretty mean looking horned cattle in there, so I wasn't going to look too hard.
Prunarède Dolmen
Trip No.205 Entry No.157 Date Added: 11th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 3
Prunarède Dolmen submitted by ocdolmen on 16th Apr 2006. Prunarède Dolmen summer 2003, one of my favourite dolmen. In the same area, 4 dolmens (ruinous state) and several iron age tumulus.
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Log Text: I thought that this was going to be an easy find, but not so. Take the road north from Saint-Maurice-Navacelles towards the Cirque de Navacelles. After several kilometres you come to the ruined farmhouse of Prunarède, at a couple of sharp bends in the road. Park here, and walk along the footpath which starts behind the farm for 800 metres until the path runs out. Easy so far. The dolmen should be there, at the end of the path. Not so easy now. Where does the path end ? and what is path and what is sheeptrack ?
I eventually found the dolmen, I had walked way past expecting it to be obvious, but it wasnt. It is well hidden in the bushes, to the right of where I had walked. Its a smashing dolmen, still with a cairn around it encircled with larger slabs of stone. The chamber is 3.5 metres long, between 1.5 and 2 metres wide, and formed with two side slabs leaning inwards onto a front and back stone. These are all fitted together so well, that even after 5000 years, there's not much more than an inch gap anywhere. There is no way into the chamber except to get a look through a gap under the capstone from one side. The capstone sits nicely on top of three of the four stones. I cannot tell where the entranceway would have been, or which is front and back.
Unfortunately, there are remnants from a fence which had been built around it in the past, in the form of a square of stones around the chamber on top of the cairn, and the remains of iron railings. The views from here would be tremendous if the scrub was cut back, but are however very limited.
Ginestous menhir 7
Trip No.205 Entry No.183 Date Added: 25th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Log Text: Ginestous menhir 7 remains as a small stump, which can be seen at the edge of the little road which leads up to the chateau, just uphill from the corner after the railway crossing.
Dolmen de Cambous
Trip No.205 Entry No.186 Date Added: 25th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen de Cambous submitted by regina on 20th Jan 2009. Cambous dolmens
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Log Text: Just outside the ancient village take a path eastwards along the edge of the wood from near to the sheep pond for about 200 metres, and you will get to this dolmen. There is a round cairn of stones about 10 metres in diameter, with two concentric circles of dressed stone around it. At the centre is a chamber, made with drystone walling except for the backstone and two entrance stones, but it is not very big at about 2m by 1m. There is no sign of any capstone.
Viols Musée de Préhistoire
Trip No.205 Entry No.191 Date Added: 25th Nov 2020
Site Type: Museum
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 20th Sep 2005
Log Text: Once a prehistory museum in the little town of Viols-le-Fort, but now closed with the building used for something else. The collection includes the statue menhir found at nearby prehistoric village of Truc de Marti.
Truc de Marti
Trip No.205 Entry No.192 Date Added: 25th Nov 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 20th Sep 2005
Truc de Marti tombe ovale submitted by johnstone on 30th Mar 2020. Tombe #3, June 26, 2000
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Log Text: I went to have a look at this hilltop site, but time was getting on, and I could find no quick way up to the top of the hill, which has the remains of a prehistoric village and up to 9 burial chambers on it. I had a look, but could see nothing resembling a path at all, and the place was all very overgrown with rough scrub. I decided that I would probably get lost up there, so I headed off to find a campsite.
Menhir de la Fage B02
Trip No.205 Entry No.230 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 26th Apr 2010. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B02 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.6 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.6 metre tall menhir.
Menhir de la Fage B03
Trip No.205 Entry No.231 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B03 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.5 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.5 metre tall menhir.
Pierre des Trois Communes
Trip No.205 Entry No.227 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Pierre des Trois Communes submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. The Pierre des Trois Communes stands two and a half metres tall.
Once more than 5 metres in height, the top has been broken off.
The stone bears the scars of the stone breakers who tried to cut it into pieces.
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Log Text: Take the D.35 road east from the Col de Montmirat for about 4 kilometres, and there is a parking area and signs to menhirs. Walk up the track a few hundred metres and you get to the Pierre des Trois Communes. It stands two and a half metres tall, and has views all around. In the past it has been attempted to cut up the stone by quarrymen, and still has the scars. It is a shame, but the area of ground around it is very badly worn with vehicle marks everywhere.
As I was passing this stone again on the way back from les Trois Pierres de Chabusse, in a rush to beat the thunderstorm back to the campervan, there was an amazing moment. I turned and patted the stone, and at the exact moment I touched it, there was a massive flash of lightning behind the stone. This was very spooky at the time.
Menhir de la Fage B04
Trip No.205 Entry No.232 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B04 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.5 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.5 metre tall menhir.
Menhir de la Fage B05
Trip No.205 Entry No.233 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B05 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.4 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.4 metre tall menhir.
Menhir de la Fage B06
Trip No.205 Entry No.234 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B06 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.4 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.4 metre tall menhir.
Menhir de la Fage B07
Trip No.205 Entry No.235 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de la Fage B07 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. One of the La Fage B menhirs, this is a 1.6 metre tall menhir.
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Log Text: A 1.6 metre tall menhir.
La Fage tumulus 1
Trip No.205 Entry No.238 Date Added: 6th Dec 2020
Site Type: Round Barrow(s)
Country: France (Languedoc:Lozère (48))
Visited: Yes on 25th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
La Fage tumulus 1 submitted by theCaptain on 26th Apr 2010. Amongst the La Fage B menhirs, is the remains of a tumulus and dolmen. What there is to see is not much more than a low round mound with a few slabs of stones sticking out of the top.
There are others in the vicinity.
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Log Text: Amongst the La Fage B menhirs, is the remains of a tumulus and dolmen. What there is to see is not much more than a low round mound with a few slabs of stones sticking out of the top. There are probably others in the vicinity.