Pierre Folle de Saint-Priest-la-Feuille

Trip No.204  Entry No.174  Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: What a wonderful little dolmen this is, and so well kept and presented too. What a lovely surprise. It's a bit of a struggle to find from the village of Saint-Priest-la-Feuille (which is on one of the routes to Santiago de Compostella), but take the road towards Lizieres and eventually there are little signposts.

It is kept in a little parkland now, with a carpark, information board, and a windy path across a stream through a little wood and eventually to the dolmen on top of the hill, all in about 100 metres from the roadside. You can see the dolmen through a gap from the road, but then not again until you are nearly there, so well landscaped and routed the pathway is.

The dolmen itself is such a wonderful pretty thing, one of the nicest dolmens I have ever seen, if not the prettiest. The capstone has a flat bottom, but a very rounded top, and it is sat on top of six closely spaced side supports. The dolmen's entrance is at the west, as many of the dolmens round these parts seem to have, and there seems to be traces of an entry passage with stones in the ground. The supports are quite tall and thin, and are closely spaced without any real gaps, and all lean slightly inwards towards the top. Unfortunately, one of the side stones is broken. The chamber below is circular, and about 3 metres in diameter, and there is plenty of height to stand up inside. But for me, it is the shape that does it. It is a bit like a badminton shuttlecock, or a cartoon spider or crab, but to me it mostly made me think of a spaceinveder ro suchlike.

Of course, with a dolmen like this there are plenty of legends. One is that the stones all have a dance at midnight on Christmas Eve. Another has it that any girl who slides down from the top will be married before the year is out (whether or not in "birth knickers" I know not!). Yet another legend is long and complex, but involves the devil and dancing.

Strangely, it is not quite on the top of the hill, but just 30 metres from it. The hilltop, just to the north, looks to have a mound built on top of it, I wonder whether there was another tomb here, and perhaps was once another dolmen ? Fabulous.

Pierre Bercé (Naillat)

Trip No.204  Entry No.177  Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Signposted south from Colondannes, it was however only the one signpost and then 5 kilometers of guessing the way ! From the village of Naillat take the road out to the east at the back of the village, turn left at the cemetary, cross over the river and then go to the left. The Pierre Bercé is then to be found in a fenced off field about 40 metres from the road at a bend. It is on a little spur and looks out over the stream below, and is about 3 metres high.

Dolmen dit Pierre-la-Fade

Trip No.204  Entry No.178  Date Added: 21st Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Yes on 23rd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: To the west of Aubusson, go through the village of Blessac and take the road west to Sagnas. Continue right through the hamlet until the road runs out at a forest, and becomes a dusty trackwith some marked forest walk footpaths. Within 100 metres, down a little track into the forest, the dolmen can be found.

Its a pleasant enough dolmen, made of fairly rounded granite slabs, with a 3 metres by 2 metres capstone sitting on top of two side and one back slab, completely open to the south east. Unfortunately, as with many of these places, its been used for beer drinking and fires, with lots of litter around.

Dolmen d'Urbe

Trip No.204  Entry No.180  Date Added: 21st Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Yes on 23rd Jul 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: In stark contrast to many places, the lovely medeival city of Crocq is proud of its dolmen, which I wasn’t going to bother with as it looks difficult to find on the big map. However, its shown on all the town maps, and clearly signposted along Route du Dolmen from the town. And they sell postcards of it !!!

Its a pleasant 500 metre walk from a parking place, slightly uphill and into the forest. The dolmen is a pleasant, pretty thing made of granite blocks. The massive capstone sits on six closely spaced support stones making an oval chamber about 2.5 m by 1.5 m in size, and about 1.5 m high. Unfortunately a seventh support stone at the back has fallen inwards, leaving a big opening. All the support stones have flat face inwards, and lean slightly in towards the top, a bit like the wonderful Pierre Folle de Saint-Priest-la-Feuille. The entrance to this dolmen is at the eastern end.

To find their husband here, the local girls have to jump over the dolmen - quite a hard task I would imagine !

Saint-Hilaire Dolmen

Trip No.204  Entry No.175  Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Couldn't find on 22nd Jul 2005

Log Text: I could not find this, despite it being clearly marked on my ign 1:100,000 map. However, it seem to be no longer marked on any new maps, I wonder whether it is a casualty of the N.145 trunk road, or whether it is still to be found somewhere near to the big road junction.

Dolmen de la Pierre Euberte

Trip No.204  Entry No.176  Date Added: 20th Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 22nd Jul 2005

Log Text: I thought that I perhaps saw this dolmen on its hillside position, but I could find nowhere to park, and saw no obvious way through the houses and fields to get to where I thought it was.

Dolmen de la Croix Blanche (Felletin)

Trip No.204  Entry No.179  Date Added: 21st Aug 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Creuse (23))
Visited: Couldn't find on 23rd Jul 2005

Log Text: To the east of Felletin, on the D.10 road to Crocq, is supposedly this dolmen, at the hamlet of Croix Blanche. I looked long and hard but found nothing except for a sign telling me about it, and how it had had a grant from various people for restoration in 1987-89. Apparently its an Angevin dolmen, but whether its in the dense woodland, or in the field of tall sweetcorn, I do not know! There was nobody around to ask.

Estivaux Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.25  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: To the east of the village of Estivaux, this dolmen can be found in a field near to the sports stadium and a new housing development, just about 50 metres from the road. Its an odd little affair, and almost looks modern. The oval capstone, 3.5 m by 2.5 m sits on top of 4 support stones making a small chamber 2 metres by 1 metre inside, and about 1.5 metres in height. The support stones look to me to be quite new, perhaps an enthusiastic restoration job has been done, and it is all a bit too level. Unfortunately two of the support stones have been painted blue, and the ambience of the place is spoiled by the power cables directly overhead.

Dolmen de Rochesseux

Trip No.205  Entry No.26  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This little dolmen is found in a sort of parkland high up on the slopes of Puy de Pauliac, above the historical village of Aubazines. It is signposted from the road. A triangular 3 metres by 2 metres capstone sits delicately balanced on top of two side support stones and a back stone, with a chamber 2.5 metres long by 1 metre wide underneath. The two side stones are both pointed at the top, and the capstone sits only on their points, and the small backstone almost at the same place, overhanging substantially in all directions. The chamber faces eastwards, at a bearing of 080°. The capstone has a lovely ring to it when knocked.

Dolmen dit La Maison du Loup

Trip No.205  Entry No.24  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: About a kilometre from the village of Espartignac, this dolmen can be found along a signposted track from the village square near to the Bar Le Dolmen. It is found in thick woodland on the end of a defended headland overlooking the Vézère river, and is at the top of a cliff edge. The dolmen is in part made from natural rocks, with a couple of sideslabs and a capstone (now broken into two pieces) resting on a rocky outcrop. The capstone is about 3 metres by 2 metres, and sits about 2 metres above the floor of the chamber.

The headland has been fortified for many hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands. But what can be seen today, with a Motte surrounded by another flat and defended area, dates to post Roman times. There are also double ditches and banks at the south to defend from the landward side of the headland not surrounded by the river. This place is at the site of an important ford across the Vézère river, on the important route from northern France to the Mediterranean.

Puy de Pauliac Cromlech

Trip No.205  Entry No.27  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: At the top of the lovely Puy de Pauliac hill to the east of the historical village of Aubazines, is an orientation table, and fantastic views stretching for many miles in nearly all directions, with the high point of the Massif Central, the Puy de Sancy to be seen way off in the east. Near to the top of this hill is marked a cromlech, and I almost didn't find it. The cromlech can be found a bit downhill to the north of the summit, and it is signposted, although the tiny little wooden sign is easily missed, hiding in the woodland.

In a clearing in the forest covered slopes, the cromlech is made with many stones, nearly all less than a metre tall, set up almost touching each other making an enclosure which is a sort of rounded square about 40 to 50 metres across. At the southern, upslope side, is a large outcrop of natural rocks, probably 10 to 15 metres high from which the cromlech extends, joining between other significant natural rocks, to close off the area.

It is very easy to imagine a gathering of people here, with the leader stood on top of the large natural rocks giving his sermon. Within the cromlech are several nicely weathered natural granite slabs, one of which has a large break in it. These would make good seats for the best view !

Dolmen de la Route Vieille

Trip No.205  Entry No.28  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Couldn't find on 1st Sep 2005

Log Text: There is supposed to be a dolmen here, according to my notes, but there is nothing mentioned on any of my maps or on any of the village noticeboards or tourist publicity. Churches, a Chateau and caves are all mentioned, but no dolmen. Perhaps the dolmen is in a different village called Noailles.

La Caune de l'Arago

Trip No.205  Entry No.86  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Sep 2005

Log Text: In a very pretty part of the world up on a cliff face above the vinyards, this is the cave where Tautavel man was found. Its a kilometer or so south of the town, up on a rugged hill near where the river cuts a gorge through the hills. This is of course all shut off to the public with buildings and shelters around it, as the excavations and research continue, 35 years after the finding of the ancient skull.

Tautavel Musee de Prehistoire

Trip No.205  Entry No.85  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 12th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: I only came here to get a photo, assuming the museum would be closed on a Monday, but it was open, so thought I'd better go in. The museum contains hundreds of thousands of items found at the nearby Caune de l'Arago cave, where the remains of a human skull was found in July 1971, the skull being known as Arago item 21. Since then many others have been found, along with items of their food, tools etc etc. The finds have been dated to about 450,000 BC, and thus are amongst the earliest remains of humans found in Europe.

Tautavel man lead a life of hunting, and this is all displayed here also, with remains of many animals and suchlike which would have been around at that time. Tautavel man, however, is not an ancester of ours, as he lead up to Neanderthal man, which died out 30,000 years ago, to be replaced by Cro Magnon man.

While this should all have been very interesting, I have to admit to finding many of the displays quite dull and repetitive, and the awful American voice talking down to me in the audio guide was enough to put me right off. The whole museum seemed a bit 1970's and showing signs of age. The displays mostly consisted of bones and tools in glass cases, video presentations of certain things, and staged scenes using mannequins, with lots of keep off and don't touch signs. In my recent travels, I have seen many much better presented museums which bring the subject to life.

Bélesta Museum of prehistory

Trip No.205  Entry No.88  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Sep 2005

Log Text: Blimey, the roads round here are twisty and tight. There was no way I was able to park the van anywhere near the village for a look at this. So I had to give up totally on any thoughts of a visit to this supposedly excellent museum.

Peyro Dreta

Trip No.205  Entry No.90  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 12th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This fallen and broken menhir, once more than 4 metres tall, has beautiful views over the Fenouillades valley to the north, with Queribus castle and Tautavel clearly visible. The menhir can be found about a kilometres walk down a dirt track amongst the vines, about 0.7 kilometres to the west of the Col de Bataille. The start of the track is easy to find, as it is marked with a large menhir like stone at the junction beside the vineyards. Perhaps this stone itself was once a proper menhir, which has now been re-erected.

Puijols tumulus

Trip No.205  Entry No.87  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Artificial Mound Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Sep 2005

Log Text: Just to the northwest of the village of Tautavel, on the opposite side of the river, is a massive tumulus, which must be about 100 metres in diameter and 20 metres high, complete with terracing and grapes growing on it !

Moli del Vent

Trip No.205  Entry No.89  Date Added: 28th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 12th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: At the top of the hill to the north west of the village of Bélesta can be found the superb but restored remains of this lovely little dolmen-a-couloir. The little chamber is about 2 metres by 1 metre, and the south side is approached by a corridor 5 metres long from the edge of the cairn, made with a few upright slabs and drystone walling. The chamber has an upright slab at each side, and two back slabs, topped by a gorgeously shaped capstone about 3m by 2m. The whole thing is contained within a round cairn, about 9 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high.

The views from up here are superb, the Fenouillades valley to the north, and the Canigou brooding in amongst the clouds to the south west today. The dolmen is less than a kilometre walk up a good track from a junction of minor roads with plenty of space for parking, and is well worth the effort. It is possible that there are remains of other monuments round the area.

Dolmen de Serrat d'en Jacques

Trip No.205  Entry No.92  Date Added: 5th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: A couple of hundred metres from the Creu de la Llosa dolmen, following the footpath uphill through the scrub to the east, up towards Serrat d'en Jacques, and you can find another dolmen, similar in size to the Creu de la Llosa dolmen, but this time with an entry passage through its cairn. I do not know the name of this dolmen, and I assume it has also been fairly recently restored.

The cairn is about 10 metres in diameter and surrounded by large slabs, with a height of about 0.5 metres. The dolmen, approximately central, has a chamber 3 metres long, and varying in width from about 1.8 m at the front to 1 m at the back. Again, the floor is paved, and there is a part height stone across the front. There are three side slabs each side, and a full height backstone. There were either several capstones, only one of which is now in position, or else a single large one has been broken. On top of the remains of the capstone are one or two cupules, but nothing much else in the way of engravings. To the southeast is an entrance chamber, facing 118°, paved and about 2.5 metres in length to the edge of the mound, making up to the full width of the chamber.

The views from this dolmen really are superb, but unfortunately slightly obscured by the highly scented scrubland. The Canigou is clearly visible to the southwest, but still enveloped in its clouds today. Excellent.

Dolmen d'A Fourna

Trip No.205  Entry No.93  Date Added: 5th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Languedoc:Pyrénées-Orientales 66)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: About four hundred metres from the Creu de la Llosa dolmen, following the footpath through the scrub to the southwest (note, go back down the track for about 25 metres from the dolmen to find the path - it is not the "obvious" path leading away from the dolmen), around the southern side of the ridge, and you will find another dolmen of similar type.

This dolmen, which again I assume restored, is slightly smaller, in a round cairn about 8 metres in diameter. The dolmen chamber is about 2 metres long by 1 metre wide, and covered with two small capstones, sitting on blocky side supports, only to about 1.2 metres in height. It has an entrance passageway, wider than the chamber, which is 4 metres long and opens up on an alignment of 120°, directly pointing towards a large and significant mountain peak. The capstones are both engraved, the front, larger one having multiple cupules with the faintest of some lines and cupules, while the smaller backstone has an extremely clear cross, with maybe some other, more fainter markings.

What a lovely place it is up here, pity the sky is cloudy and the views unclear. It also makes me wonder just how many more of these dolmens there are to be discovered in the forests up on these mountains.