Rieuviel statue menhir 2

Trip No.205  Entry No.128  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 16th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This fine male statue-menhir is to be found through the hamlet of Rieuviel, about 100 metres beyond the last house, and always bearing to the right. He is concreted in to a little plinth, and makes a sort of entrance to the lane with a cross mounted on the other side. Unfortunately, the poor chap is being used as a fence post, and the wire fence is scratching and degrading this 5000 year old stone.

It stands about 1.7 metres tall, and the engravings on the front are superb, and very clear. He has a full face, arms (with fingers), collar piece, belt with buckle, legs (with toes). I could not make out what weapons he carries, and the back is not clear. He really is a fine fellow, and should not be treated in the poor way that he is. He and his female neighbour need better looking after.

statue-menhir du Lac de la Raviège

Date Added: 29th Oct 2019
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 20th Nov 2013

Log Text: None

Peyro Clabado

Trip No.200  Entry No.80  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Extremely large (780 tonnes) and celebrated balanced rock, in an area abounding with many odd rock shapes to the east of Castres. Some of these have been revered since history began.

Roc de l'Oie

Trip No.200  Entry No.81  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Celebrated rock shaped like a goose, in the Sidobre region to the east of Castres.

Le Billard

Trip No.200  Entry No.83  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Celebrated rock formation thought to represent a billiard ball on the extremely flat billiard table, in the Sidobre region to the east of Castres.

Les Trois Fromages

Trip No.200  Entry No.82  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Celebrated rock formation thought to represent a pile of three cheeses, in the Sidobre region to the east of Castres. There are many sticks and stones thrown onto the top of the rocks, but I cannot at present remember the folklore behind it.

Saint-Paul Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.39  Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Up in the hills covered with vineyards for the lovely Gaillac wine, to the northwest of the village of Le Verdier along some tiny lanes, can be found this relatively large dolmen. It is perhaps easier to reach by walking along the GR footpath along which it is signposted from the village, than trying to drive towards. However, I drove to a point in the hills to the northwest from where it was also signposted "dans le Bosquet", and then walked back towards the village. Unfortunately, not knowing the word Bosquet, I spent ages looking, assuming it was in a hedgerow or little wooded copse which could be see further along the trackway. This is not the case, and to find the dolmen do not follow the footpath, but look across the field to the south and it can be seen at the corner of the wood at the far side.

The large white capstone is 2 metres off the ground covering a chamber 4 metres by 2 metres, with the usual two sidestones and a backstone. The northern side slab is broken, and only survives at the front half of the chamber. The massive capstone is a sort of triangular shape, with the pointed end at the back. The dolmen is all made of a very chalky white stone, which I am slightly surprised has survived this long.

Strange how when you know where things are, they are easy to find. Not only can you clearly see the dolmen from where I had parked, but I also passed a little sign towards it when walking down the footpath. Doh !

There also appears to be another large stone of some kind a bit further along the edge of the wood to the west, which I hadn't seen from when I was there, could this be the remains of another dolmen ? Dolmen de St Pierre ?

The view of the lovely fortified hilltop village of Castelnau-de-Montmiral in the distance to the south is splendid. Mmmm, I must now go and try some of the Gaillac fruit.

Peyralade Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.38  Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: This dolmen is easily found, as it stands on a traffic island at the junction of the D.5 and D.91 roads a couple of kilometres to the north of the village of Vaour, on the high plateau to the south of the river Aveyron, and is signposted from several kilometres away.

The large but broken 5 metres by 3 metres capstone sits high above the ground on top of its two side supports (and 4 additional modern support stones) covering a chamber 4 m by 2 m oriented towards the southeast at 135°. Traces of the mound which once covered this dolmen are still visible although now well spread out.

Although this dolmen has lots to recommend it, in its size and high position with splendid views, it unfortunately sits at a fairly busy road junction, and the modern support stones are perhaps a little too obvious.

L'Eléphant

Trip No.200  Entry No.84  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 24th Sep 2000. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Celebrated rock formation thought to represent an elephant, in the Sidobre region to the east of Castres.

Griffoulou menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.121  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Couldn't find on 16th Sep 2005

Log Text: I had a couple of goes to try and find this menhir, which is marked as somewhere near to the car park, in the gardens by the restaurant, but I couldn’t find it either time.

Moulin-de-Louat 2 statue-menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.131  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 16th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Just nearby, for company, is another nice stone, of about the same size, but a greyish black rock. I am unsure whether this is an ancient menhir or just a modern addition. It's a nice stone though, and probably keeps our man company.

Pierre Plantée de Lacaune

Trip No.205  Entry No.125  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 16th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: A couple of kilometres to the east of Lacaune, along the D.622 road to Moulin-Mage, park just over the Col de la Croix-de-Deux-Sous, just after the big warehouse. Its then a short walk to this masculine statue-menhir, the largest in Europe, standing in a nice green field looking out towards the mountains.

This would be a beautiful stone even without the engravings, a lovely sparkly granite 3.5 metres tall, 2 metres wide and just 40 cm thick It has a lovely smoothed shape, and has got beautiful lichens growing on it. Unfortunately, these lichens and its sunny south facing position serve to obscure the details of the fine chap of whom this is a statue of. In the mid-day sun, while I was here, it was hard to make out the details, but his two legs, belt and "objet" could be seen, and perhaps his two arms. But these wont show in any of my photos. This is a beautiful spot indeed, but perhaps this fellow would be better preserved indoors ?

Dolmen dit de Pajot

Trip No.203  Entry No.193  Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 30th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This dolmen can be easily found in a field beside the D24 road south of the village of Limogne-en-Quercy. Of typical size for round here, the chamber is 3.5 metres in length, and 1.5 metres wide, and is covered by a capstone which is larger in all dimensions. The northeast side has collapsed slightly, giving a good lean.

The dolmen is used for storing of some ancient farming equipment (ploughs and suchlike) which look to have been in there for many decades.

Joncas Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.195  Date Added: 20th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 31st May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: A kilometre walk west of the village of Limogne-en-Quercy along the GR.65 long distance footpath and signposted, you come to this dolmen. Still sitting largely in its mound, the chamber is 3.5 metres long by 1.5 metres wide, facing to the east at 108°. The capstone is unfortunately broken, and only part remains covering the chamber.

When I was here, the surrounding area is covered in flowers of all shapes and colours, on a lovely warm sunny morning.

Garivals Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.141  Date Added: 10th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 24th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: To the west of the village of Assier, about 1.5 kilometres along the D.92 road, there is a trackway leaving at an angle to the north, nearby what seems to be a road repair depot. A few hundred metres along this trackway can be found the Dolmen de Garivals, much unloved, fenced in and with a wall built through it. The chamber is about 3 m by 1.5 m, and a single capstone now covers only half of it. Much of its mound remains, and there is a strange sort of triangle stone on top.

La Pierre Martine

Trip No.203  Entry No.136  Date Added: 10th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 24th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Well, I had to come here, didn’t I. It is signposted from the main road, and places all around, to the northwest of the village of Livernon. It has its own little parking area, and the dolmen is found about 200 metres walk away across the fields and an intriguing limestone pavement.

This is the biggest dolmen in the departement of Lot, the capstone being 7 metres in length and 2 metres wide, held up on just two, equally long sideslabs, helped out these days by two concrete pillars, one at each end. The capstone is now broken in two pieces, and before it broke, it used to rock on top of its supports with just the gentlest of persuasion. The main chamber is at the eastern end of the monument, while at the western end there is a blocking stone and what seems to be a side entry from the south. The chamber is aligned eastwards on 093°.

Mons dolmen 1

Trip No.203  Entry No.143  Date Added: 10th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 24th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: In the Champ de Belair, to the northwest of the village of Assier, on the opposite (northwestern) side of the railway to the previous dolmens, are supposedly 4 dolmens, 2 tumulus and a menhir to be seen. But they don’t get any easier to find. Follow the trackway along the northern side of the railway, in a northwesterly direction for about a kilometre from the station. The track gradually fades out into an overgrown grassy path, with bushes everywhere, before completely fading away into nothing. In a field to the left of the path, having passed through some dense scrub and across a wall, I eventually found the first dolmen.

A 4 metre long by 2 metres wide capstone sits on top of a bit of a wreck of a chamber, orientated at about 115°. The chamber seems to be made from a mix of slabs and dry stones, but its possible that the slabs are just crumbling, and the capstone has been held up by stones placed underneath it.

Dolmen du Bois des Boeufs

Trip No.203  Entry No.142  Date Added: 10th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 24th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Blimey, how difficult can it be to find these places ? This dolmen is in the book, is on the 1:100000 map, with a name, and I have the detailed map also. Its to be found 200 metres from Garivals dolmen on a bearing of 025°, but can you walk in that direction ? No. I eventually found it after some long way round dead reckoning, and by going through some very dense bushy woodland. I wondered if I would get lost in here for ever, but it was worth it once I had found the dolmen.

It is almost completely still within its mound, with just the large 3 metre by 4 metre capstone above the surface on top of the tumulus, which has a diameter of about 20 metres. The chamber is 4 metres in length and 1.5 metres wide, and opens towards the east at about 115°, though it is difficult to get an accurate bearing, as its all below ground, with only about 40 cm depth. There are lots of insects chirrping away here, birdies tweeting and a cuckoo going at full tilt. There are cowslip type flowers and buttercups everywhere. lovely.

Gisement de Fieux

Trip No.203  Entry No.122  Date Added: 7th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 23rd May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Excavations are being done here, and planning permission for a visitor centre with shop and toilets applied for. I was not sure what is here while I was visiting, except for a big hole in the ground, and some little holes also. I later find out that it is an ancient settlement and encampment for mammoth hunters.

Dolmen d'Escurettes

Trip No.203  Entry No.123  Date Added: 7th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 23rd May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: I couldn’t find this dolmen originally, and wondered whether it had been destroyed, as the fields here have recently been substantially re-arranged. I wondered whether I had found the sad remains in one of the hedges, and was about to give up, before I looked through a gap in the hedge. On the other side of the hedge I found the dolmen, disguised as a large heap of stones by the fact that the thing is still mostly within its mound. A capstone sits on two upright sideslabs, sticking out of the mound towards a caravan park on what is probably private land.