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La Pierre Sorcière
Trip No.204 Entry No.291 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 9th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 5
La Pierre Sorcière submitted by theCaptain on 19th Dec 2011. La Pierre Sorcière is both a dolmen and a polissoir, and can be found by the roadside just outside the village of Villiersfaux, and signposted from the Mairie.
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Log Text: I have seen this referred to as both a dolmen and a polissoir, and can be found by the roadside just outside the village of Villiersfaux, and signposted from the Mairie. It is a big 5 m by 3 m lump of puddingstone, with a few other stones around and about it. It may well be the capstone of a collapsed dolmen, but on the top it has clearly been used as a polissoir stone. There are at the south end a couple of small grooves, and a couple of flats. This is not overly impressive, but its certainly here, and findable, unlike lots round here.
Dolmen des Louettes
Trip No.204 Entry No.289 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Couldn't find on 9th Aug 2005
Log Text: Marked on my ign 1:100,000 map, but I could find no sign of this dolmen on the ground. What I did find was lots of fishing places along the banks of the pleasant Loir river near to a lovely old papermill. I asked a few people if they knew of any dolmens around here and none of them had any idea what I was talking about. The best I got offered was the Donjon de Fréteval as ancient stones !
Since my visit, and with the help of geoportail and its 1:25,000 ign maps, I have now been able to identify not only one, but two dolmens in this region, which are on the northern river banks, just to the south of the large road junction, and should be fairly easily accessible. I was even looking in the right woodland for the first. So close yet so far...
Mondétour polissoirs
Trip No.204 Entry No.290 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Polissoir
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Couldn't find on 9th Aug 2005
Log Text: This polissoir is signposted up a trackway from the D.917 roadside to the southwest of Vendome. The trouble is, there are no more signs to be found once away from the road, and the track splits into three ways. A railway cuts the straight on, obvious path, and I could find no stone up there. The other ways all split again and again, and even after crossing under the railway, there is no obvious way. Just how the heck are we meant to find this stone ???
Since my visit, and with the help of geoportail and its 1:25,000 ign maps, I have now been able to identify where this polissoir is, and it is a fair bit to the south of the railway. Obviously, in order to find it, the ign 1:25,000 maps are needed, as the signposts are hopeless. So all I needed was all 1200 1:25,000 maps !!!!! Or geoportail up and running back then. Its odd. The village map in Fréteval say that there are megalithic walks in Marcilly-en-Beauce, but nothing about its own dolmens. The sign at Marcilly-en-Beauce on the other hand, has nothing about itself, yet says that there are dolmens to be seen in Fréteval. Its enough to make me want to give up.
Les Grosses Pierres (Breuil)
Trip No.204 Entry No.288 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Couldn't find on 9th Aug 2005
Log Text: I could find no trace of this despite spending a lot of time looking. It should be somewhere beside the river Loir south of Cloyes near to Le Breuil farm, but a longish way from any road. All the land in this region is either flooded for lakes, planted with tall sweetcorn, or private, and I could find no dolmen. Its a very pleasant spot though.
Langault Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.287 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 9th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5
Langault dolmen submitted by theCaptain on 20th Dec 2011. The dolmen is made from lumps of puddingstone, and the capstone sits on 4 support stones. The entrance, was probably originally to the east, as seen here.
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Log Text: This is a pleasant little dolmen sat right beside the D.19 road between Cloyes and Morée just after the railway crossing as you travel south, and it has a little parking and picnic area beside it. It’s a pity the road is so busy with big lorries hammering past. The dolmen is made from lumps of puddingstone, and the 3m by 2m capstone sits on 4 support stones, and is open to the south, although this is possibly due to missing stones rather than being a large entrance, which was probably originally to the east.
Dolmen de la Nivardière 2
Trip No.204 Entry No.286 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen de la Nivardière 2 submitted by theCaptain on 10th Apr 2012. In a part of the field nearer to the farm buildings is a large slab of stone left in an unploughed area, which is the remains of another dolmen.
Site in Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41) France
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Log Text: In another part of the field near to the Nivardière menhir and dolmen is a large slab of stone left in an unploughed area. Is this the remains of another dolmen ? This village is very rich in megalithic remains, and it would not surprise me if this was.
Dolmen de la Nivardière 1
Trip No.204 Entry No.285 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen de la Nivardière 1 submitted by theCaptain on 11th Apr 2012. The dolmen is very complete for around here, with a large capstone sitting on top of a rectangular chamber.
On the northern side, the support stones have fallen underneath.
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Log Text: Just to the northeast of the centre of the village of Tripleville, about 100 metres into the first field out of the village along the D.137 road, can be found the Nivardière dolmen and its associated menhir about 80 metres further on.
The dolmen is very complete for round here, with a 4m by 3m capstone sitting on top of a 3m by 2.5m rectangular chamber. The southern side support and the back stone are still complete, while the northern side stones have fallen underneath. It is open towards the east, and faces directly towards the menhir. Unfortunately it is ploughed very close to, and there are marks on some of the stones.
Menhir dit la Drue à Gargantua
Trip No.204 Entry No.284 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir dit la Drue à Gargantua submitted by theCaptain on 5th Apr 2012. In the same field as the dolmens, the four metres tall limestone Nivardière menhir can be found before you reach the quarry.
View looking west, with the main dolmen beyond.
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Log Text: Just to the east of the village of Tripleville, not far from the centre and just to the north of the D.137 road, the four metres tall limestone Nivardière menhir can be found before you reach the quarry. There is another lump of stone at its base, which I think may have broken off the top at some time. It is about 2 metres wide and 1 metre thick, and positively gleams in the late afternoon sunshine.
La Mouïse-Martin Dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.283 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
La Mouïse-Martin dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 10th Aug 2011. The Mouïse-Martin dolmen was to be found in a field of tall sweetcorn just to the east of the little lane leading up to Mouïse-Martin farm.
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Log Text: To the northeast of the village of Tripleville, the Mouïse-Martin dolmen can be found in a field of tall sweetcorn just to the east of the little lane leading up to Mouïse-Martin farm. Its about 80 metres from the road, and the capstone can be seen covered in grass high above the sweetcorn, so it's either sitting on some good support stones, or on a fairly big mound. The capstone looks to be roundish, about 3 metres in diameter, and fairly thick.
As I was writing this, a farmer drives by in his tractor, and stopped for a chat with me. He told me that if I wanted to walk to the dolmen it would be OK. I couldn't quite see how I was going to be able to do this without either pushing through all the maize, or I would have to go to the far end of the field and then a long walk between the rows. Time was getting on, so I decline his kind offer. What a nice attitude most of the farmers and landowners in France seem to have.
Dolmen du Val d’Avril
Trip No.204 Entry No.282 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Couldn't find on 8th Aug 2005
Log Text: I could see mothing obvious of the Butte de Champart to the south of the village of Tripleville, despite walking all around the area. It is perhaps all in the trees in the back garden of a house, behind the large woodshed.
Dolmen de Prunay
Trip No.204 Entry No.281 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Loire-et-Cher (41))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen de Prunay submitted by TheCaptain on 11th Aug 2011. Near to the road running south from the village of Tripleville towards Prunay can be found this dolmen, about 50 metres from the road across a field.
It's not much more than a large stone on a slight raise in the land, but there may be more below.
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Log Text: Near to the road running south from the village of Tripleville towards Prunay can be found this dolmen, about 50 metres from the road across a field. It's not much more than a large stone on a slight raise in the land, but there may be more below. Its about 3m by 3m and rounded in shape, and very thick, perhaps 1.7 metres.
Le Palet de Gargantua (Nottonville)
Trip No.204 Entry No.280 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5
Le Palet de Gargantua (Nottonville) submitted by theCaptain on 22nd Mar 2012. Just to the south of the La Brosse chateau and farm can be found the Palet de Gargantua dolmen, sitting right at the D.357 roadside.
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Log Text: Just to the south of the La Brosse chateau and farm can be found the Palet de Gargantua dolmen, sitting right at the D.357 roadside. It has a lovely capstone sitting at a jaunty angle partly on the ground, and partly on a couple of support stones. It is sort of trapezoidal shaped, about 4m by 4m. I found it difficult to make out any semblance of structure underneath, as most of the support stones have all collapsed.
Baignon dolmens (5)
Trip No.204 Entry No.279 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Access 4
Baignon dolmens (5) submitted by theCaptain on 13th Mar 2012. Baignon 5 is a largely unrecogniseable pile of stones in the field.
These last two dolmens really are in a bad state, and have been ploughed right up to the edges, with the stones just heaped up into as small an area as possible.
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Log Text: Baignon 5 is another completely unrecogniseable pile of stones in the field. Mostly lumps of puddingstone, there is one lump of sarsen like slab. These last two dolmens really are in a bad state, and have been ploughed right up to the edges, with the stones just heaped up into as small an area as possible.
Baignon dolmens (4)
Trip No.204 Entry No.278 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4
Baignon dolmens (4) submitted by theCaptain on 14th Mar 2012. Baignon 4 really is no more than a small heap of stones in the middle of a field. Actually, there is one stone still standing, but that’s it. Its all a nice puddingstone though, so it does have its good points.
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Log Text: Baignon 4 really is no more than a small heap of stones in the middle of a field. Actually, there is one stone still standing, but that’s it. Its all a nice puddingstone though, so it does have its good points.
Baignon dolmens (3)
Trip No.204 Entry No.277 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5
Baignon dolmens (3) submitted by theCaptain on 14th Mar 2012. Baignon 3 reveals remains of an Angevin dolmen with a rectangular chamber with its entrance porchway at the southeast.
Many side stones and the broken capstone still remain in place, although the back end has collapsed.
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Log Text: Baignon 3 initially looks again like a heap of rocks in the middle of a field, and this impression is not helped by there probably being loads of field clearance stones dumped around it. Closer inspection reveals remains of an Angevin dolmen with a rectangular 4m by 3.5m chamber with its entrance porchway at the southeast. Many side stones and the broken capstone still remain in place, although the back end has collapsed.
Baignon dolmens (2)
Trip No.204 Entry No.276 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Baignon dolmens (2) submitted by theCaptain on 13th Mar 2012. Baignon 2 is in the middle of the cropped field, but which had been recently harvested when I visited in 2005. It is seemingly not much more than a large pile of stones in amongst the nettles and brambles.
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Log Text: Baignon 2 is in the middle of the cropped field, but which had been recently harvested when I visited. Again it is seemingly not much more than a large pile of stones in amongst the nettles and brambles. It probably has a rectangular chamber, 4m by 3m, with a single, now broken, capstone.
Baignon dolmens (1)
Trip No.204 Entry No.275 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Baignon dolmens (1) submitted by theCaptain on 12th Mar 2012. Baignon 1 is all a bit overgrown, in some wasteland at the corner of the field by a little fishing lake.
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Log Text: To the south of the lovely old walled and moated town of Bonneval, along the D.144 road, can be found the dolmens de Baignon. They are easily found in a field beside the river near to Memillon Chateau. There are remains of five dolmens, and I will number them in the order in which I visited them, which was roughly in an east to west direction.
Baignon 1 is all a bit overgrown, in some wasteland at the corner of the field by a little fishing lake. There is a capstone sitting on top of two side supports, about 2 metres apart, with some other large stones, one of which I assume to be another part of the broken capstone.
This could do with a tidy up, and would then be a nice feature beside the lake.
Baignon dolmens
Trip No.204 Entry No.274 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Baignon dolmens (3) submitted by theCaptain on 14th Mar 2012. Baignon 3 reveals remains of an Angevin dolmen with a rectangular chamber with its entrance porchway at the southeast.
Many side stones and the broken capstone still remain in place, although the back end has collapsed.
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Log Text: To the south of the lovely old walled and moated town of Bonneval, along the D.144 road, can be found the dolmens du Baignon. Remains of at least 5 dolmens can be found in a field beside the river near to Memillon Chateau in the commune of St-Maur-sur-le-Loir. I have numbered the 5 dolmens in the order in which I visited them, which was roughly in an east to west direction.
Menhir de l'Ormorice
Trip No.204 Entry No.273 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Yes on 8th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Menhir de l'Ormorice submitted by theCaptain on 16th Mar 2012. About 800 metres walk from the road, it is easy to see and reach this 3.5 metres tall along a farm track.
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Log Text: Whilst looking for the Bonneval dolmen to the left of the road, I saw this menhir the other side of the field on the right. About 800 metres walk from the road, it is easy to see and reach along a farm track. Its about 3.5 metres tall, and up to 2 metres wide at its base.
Near to the busy TGV express rail line, there's a 10, 12, 20 or 24 coach TGV train whizzing past about one every 2 minutes. This is how railways should be.
Bonneval dolmen
Trip No.204 Entry No.272 Date Added: 11th Sep 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Centre:Eure-et-Loire (28))
Visited: Couldn't find on 8th Aug 2005
Log Text: I could find nothing of this, despite having a good look all around. There are likely remains of a round mound in the fields here though.