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Gouffre de Padirac
Trip No.203 Entry No.125 Date Added: 7th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 23rd May 2005. My rating: Access 5
Gouffre de Padirac submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. Massive hole in the ground, I think the largest in Europe, through which some strange winds can blow.
Up until the last century, people thought this was the entrance to hell.
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Log Text: Blimey it’s a big hole. Gaping Ghyll eat your heart out. I think this is the biggest natural hole in Europe. Its massive. No wonder the people were scared of it as being the way to hell until only last century.
Dolmen de Candare 1
Trip No.203 Entry No.116 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 4
Dolmen de Candare 1 submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. Tiny little dolmen sitting on the remains of its mound, under a bush just to the south of the road between Miers and Floirac.
Not far from this dolmen is a peculiar, almost spherical black stone which looks most out of place, although I dont seem to have a photograph of it.
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Log Text: Tiny little dolmen sitting on the remains of its mound, under a bush just to the south of the road between Miers and Floirac. It has a rectangular chamber, less than 2 by 1 metre in size, with the entrance facing 060°. Not far from this dolmen is a peculiar, almost spherical black stone which looks most out of place.
Dolmen dit Peyrebru (Miers)
Trip No.203 Entry No.115 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 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
Dolmen dit Peyrebru (Miers) submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. This dolmen is a little beauty, about 50 metres up a track from the road between Miers and Floirac.
Still sitting on top of a fairly large oval mound.
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Log Text: This one's a little beauty, about 50 metres up a track from the road between Miers and Floirac. Still sitting on top of its mound, 18 metres in diameter, it has a 2.5 by 1.5 metres chamber with a single slanted capstone. The chamber opens eastwards on an alignment of 118°.
Dolmen du Pech Cayrou
Trip No.203 Entry No.119 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 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen du Pech Cayrou submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. This dolmen's a bit of a walk up a track and then into a field, to the east of the small road between Miers and Floirac, but well worth the effort.
Apart from the orchids everywhere, there were the most amazing and vividly coloured butterflies all around this dolmen, and some fantastic views over the Dordogne river valley to the north.
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Log Text: This one's a bit of a walk up a track and then into a field, but well worth the small effort. Its almost totally enclosed within its mound, with just the large 4 by 3 metres capstone showing above the ground, except to one side where the chamber has been dug into. Most of the chamber is obscured by a large sideslab which has fallen into it, so its difficult to make anything out here.
Apart from the by now normal orchids everywhere, there are the most amazing and vividly coloured butterflies all around this dolmen, and some fantastic views over the Dordogne river valley to the north. There is another mound close by, but thickly covered by bushes and scrub. I could see no obvious remains of a dolmen there, but I wouldnt be surprised if it was one.
Dolmen de Ressegayre
Trip No.203 Entry No.118 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 4 Access 4
Dolmen de Ressegayre submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. A slightly bigger than average dolmen for round here, and still mostly within its mound, this one can be found in a bit of scrubland just off the road between Miers and Floirac, although it took a fair bit of looking.
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Log Text: A slightly bigger than average dolmen for round here, and still mostly within its mound, this one can be found in a bit of scrubland just off the road between Miers and Floirac, although it took a fair bit of looking.
The capstone is about 3.5 by 3 metres, and is sitting only on some fairly basic supports, just off the ground. I cannot make out the chamber below, or its inside the mound still.
Its lovely here, with insects and birds chirrping and tweeting, with a cuckoo going at full tilt, and loads of wildflowers everywhere. I have just seen two sorts of orchid which I haven't seen before. From some research after my visit, I learn that this is perhaps not a dolmen, but a capstone in the process of being extracted and moved. However, if this is the case, why the mound ?
Grotte des Merveilles
Trip No.203 Entry No.130 Date Added: 7th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 23rd May 2005. My rating: Access 5
Grotte des Merveilles submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. The entry building for visits to the Grotte des Merveilles in Rocamadour.
Does it have enough signs pointing to it ?
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Log Text: Saw the entrance to this at least the ticket office and shop. Does it have enough signs pointing to it ?
Dolmen des Calcas
Trip No.203 Entry No.127 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 2 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen des Calcas submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. This dolmen can be found just beside a track to the southwest of Padirac in Lot.
Right at the edge of a field, it’s a basic rectangular chamber about 2.5 by 1.5 metres with no capstone.
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Log Text: After what had started out a good day was turning to failure I needed to find this one. Just beside a track at the edge of a field it’s a basic rectangular chamber about 2.5 by 1.5 metres with no capstone.
While sitting writing my notes there was all sorts of jangling noises going on which turned out to be bells on lots of young sheep gambolling around in the next field. Lovely.
Bouyé Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.133 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
Bouyé dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. To the southeast of Gramat, near the hamlet of Bouyé can be seen the remains of this double dolmen and its little mound.
I could not get into the field for a close look, and thick hedges and trees made making out what is there, and getting photographs difficult.
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Log Text: To the southeast of Gramat, a few hundred metres along the GR.6 south from the hamlet of Bouyé can be seen the remains of this double dolmen and its little mound. Its just to the side of the track, opposite a home with a swimming pool being installed. I could not get into the field for a close look, and thick hedges and trees made making out what is there, and getting photographs difficult. I could however make out that there were some large slabs of stone at the eastern end of a long mound.
Champ des Courses Tumulus
Trip No.203 Entry No.132 Date Added: 10th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 24th May 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 5
Champ des Courses Tumulus submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. To the west of the town of Gramat, along the D.15 road just before the hippodrome can be found this enormous tumulus.
It’s a big one, perhaps 50 metres in diameter, and 12 metres high, and is in a swampy area beside a fishing lake, which is surprising for round here as most of the area is so arid. It must be an area of springs above an impermeable layer of rock.
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Log Text: To the west of the town of Gramat, along the D.15 road just before the hippodrome can be found this enormous tumulus. It’s a big one, perhaps 50 metres in diameter, and 12 metres high, and is in a swampy area beside a fishing lake, which is surprising for round here as most of the area is so dry. It must be an area of springs above an impermeable layer of rock.
There are a couple of limestone blocks visible at the top, and one or two more large slabs visible at places around the outside. Who knows what may be within ? But even here, somebody has decided that they have to drive their 4WD vehicle over the top of it.
Dolmen du Champ de Monsieur
Trip No.203 Entry No.128 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 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen du Champ de Monsieur submitted by thecaptain on 5th Jan 2006. A nice double dolmen which can be found in woodland to the northwest of the village of Padirac, in Lot.
This is the entry to the western of the two dolmen chambers.
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Log Text: Try as I might, from the place that looks to be the nearest approach to this dolmen by road, I could not get a way through into the right bit of woodland to visit this double dolmen. There is much dense woodland here, and many big new fences. They obviously dont want people (or sheep and deer) getting in and out of here.
I had another go at finding this one from the west this time but it was still a bugger to find although success in the end after climbing a couple of walls. Getting back to the lane afterwards was rather easier !
It’s a double chambered dolmen still sitting on a little mound well hidden by trees. The smaller chamber is about 2 m by 1 m and faces westish. The larger chamber which adjoins the small chamber opens at the opposite end and towards the southeast. The rear capstone for this chamber, which has two, sits on top of the capstone of the smaller one. This was a lovely find.
Dolmen dit la Pierre Levée (Lecusses)
Trip No.203 Entry No.120 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 4 Ambience 4 Access 3
Dolmen dit la Pierre Levée (Lecusses) submitted by thecaptain on 7th Jan 2006. A nice dolmen still within its large mound which can be found to the northwest of the Barrières farm, to the northwest of the village of Miers, in Lot.
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Log Text: Another beauty, this time almost completely still within its mound, which is about 25 metres in diameter and a couple of metres high. The single chamber is about 3 m by 1.5 metres, and covered by what must have been a shaped capstone, about 4 by 2.5 metres and very rectangular. This one is a bit of a long walk from anywhere, but it is signposted.
Dolmen des Barrières 2
Trip No.203 Entry No.121 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 4 Access 4
Dolmen des Barrières 2 submitted by thecaptain on 7th Jan 2006. The remains of this nice freestanding dolmen are to be found in a little tended garden like area near to the Barrières farm, to the northwest of the village of Miers in Lot.
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Log Text: This nice freestanding dolmen is to be found in a little tended garden like area near to the Barrières farm. There are no signs of a mound around it, no doubt all the stone having been used in construction of the farm and its walls. It was probably once similar to the nearby Pierre Levée, but is now just a 3 metres square capstone doing a balancing act on one side and one end stone from the rectangular chamber.
Mas de Greil Oppidum
Trip No.203 Entry No.147 Date Added: 15th Apr 2020
Site Type: Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 25th May 2005
Mas de Greil Oppidum submitted by thecaptain on 21st Jan 2006. High on cliffs overlooking the Célé river, this hill has been inhabited and used as a hilltop refuge since 5000BC.
It doesn’t need much defending but there are 5 metre deep ditches across the neck of land attaching it to the high Causse.
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Log Text: High on cliffs overlooking the Célé river this hill surrounded on 3 sides by high cliffs has been inhabited and used as a hilltop refuge since 5000BC. It doesn’t need much defending but there are 5 metre deep ditches across the neck of land attaching it to the high Causse.
Grotte de Pech-Merle
Trip No.203 Entry No.149 Date Added: 15th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 25th May 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4
Grotte de Pech-Merle submitted by thecaptain on 14th Nov 2008. The entrance area to this fantastic cave, which I would thoroughly encourage anybody to visit.
One of the oak trees here (with the white paint) has one of its roots hanging down into the cave, which can be seen looking like a hairy stalactite.
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Log Text: Superb. Not only for the prehistoric stuff, but also for the cave and its stalactites as well. There is some fantastic cave decoration in here, including pearls and a superb "spinninng top", and also some wonderful discs. Amazing.
The prehistoric stuff dates from all ages, 25,000 BC to 10,000 BC when it all got blocked off by a rockfall. The two famous spotted horses have been dated to 24,600 BC from their charcoal black. They are really fantastic, and the way that a natural rock shape has been used for one of the horses heads is incredible. But there are also mammouth, bulls, ibex, aurochs etc etc. There are also human hands in silhouette, and the famous "wounded man" with four spears in him.
Of much more recent date is a wonderful engraved bears head. not to forget the human footprints in the soft clay, from an adolescent person, which are dated to about ?????. Up near the original entrance to the cave are many bear and hyena bones which can still be seen, and what at first looks to be a hairy stalactite, which is in fact a root of one of the oak trees which is growing in the little leisure area outside the cave. this was one of my favourite places of all those I visited this year.
Le chaos de Roquebert
Trip No.203 Entry No.114 Date Added: 6th Apr 2020
Site Type: Rock Outcrop
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 22nd May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3
Le chaos de Roquebert submitted by TheCaptain on 18th Jan 2011. Les Trois Cromlechs.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of these. There are three massive stones (probably up to 7 metres high) within about 20 metres of each other looking for all the world like they have been stood upright surrounded by lots and lots of other stones.
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Log Text: Not quite sure what to make of these. There are three massive stones (probably up to 7 metres high) within about 20 metres of each other looking for all the world like they have been stood upright surrounded by lots and lots of other stones. There is a signpost saying something about the prehistoric stones and area. I have no idea what they are and suspect that they might be natural a bit like the top of a tor but it doesn’t all look fully natural and I suspect there has been some rearrangement of the rocks around them by man in the distant past.
But in the thick forest getting pictures was not easy especially in the rain and by now I was getting very anxious about getting down off the top of this hill with the campervan in one piece. Eventually I do get back to a tarmac bit of road and its not long before I pass a parking area with footpath signs pointing off in various directions the “Circuit des Dolmens” being one of them. It gives the impression there's lots more historic stuff up here including an ancient fort of some kind.
La Bertrandoune Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.113 Date Added: 6th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 22nd May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3
La Bertrandoune dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 18th Jan 2011. This is a big single chambered dolmen about 3 m by 2 m a single capstone sitting on top of three uprights with still a good amount of its mound surrounding it.
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Log Text: Further still round the “Circuit des Dolmens” after driving for miles along the rough stone mountain tracks and bashing my way through the undergrowth after several signposted things to see including several of the little huts they have round here and I come to this dolmen. By now I have realised that this “Circuit des Dolmens” is a walking circuit and not for driving round let alone doing it in reverse in a campervan and am getting desperate to get out of these woods and onto a proper road again which rather spoiled the enjoyment of what would be a lovely afternoons walk !.
This is a big single chambered dolmen about 3 m by 2 m a single capstone sitting on top of three uprights with still a good amount of its mound surrounding it. But there's no time to enjoy it I want to get down !
Les Trois Pierres (Les Junies)
Trip No.203 Entry No.112 Date Added: 6th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 22nd May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3
Les Trois Pierres (Les Junies) submitted by theCaptain on 19th Jan 2011. Remains of a lovely dolmen in a woodland setting.
There are remains of something much more, possibly once a double chamber and entry passage.
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Log Text: What the hell am I doing here in the campervan ? It’s a road on my map and it starts off as a road with a “circuit des dolmens” sign so of course I followed it. It was very steep to start and lots of hairpin bends so was using first and secod gear only. It has to get better I thought. It levelled out a bit but then the tarmac disappeared. And the trees closed in. And the gravel surface gave way to bare rock and grass and puddles. Nowhere to turn round and go back so thought I’d continue past a bemused looking lady outside her house but still following the “Circuit des Dolmens” signs but in reverse. Of course its raining and misty up here in the clouds.
Ah a sign to “Les Trois Pierres”. This is a nice dolmen in a woodland setting lots of little oak trees growing in the rough limestone rock. I was by now hoping for three ! Its about 4 metres long by 1.5 m wide and high with a single capstone remaining in place. The chamber was obviously much longer once and there are traces of its mound.
Fontaine des Chartreux
Trip No.203 Entry No.214 Date Added: 21st Apr 2020
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 1st Jun 2005. My rating: Access 4
Fontaine des Chartreux submitted by theCaptain on 16th Jan 2012. Cross the wonderful Pont Valentré from the old town of Cahors, contained within its loop of the Lot river, and walk south along the riverside for a few hundred metres, and you will find this huge spring in the cliffside, with the crystal clear water surging out.
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Log Text: Cross the wonderful Pont Valentré from the old town of Cahors, contained within its loop of the Lot river, and walk south along the riverside for a few hundred metres, and you will find this huge spring in the cliffside, with the crystal clear water surging out. Two thousand years ago, the Fontaine des Chartreux was used for the worship of Divona, or Divona Cadurcorum, "Divona of the Cadurci," a Celtic people of Gaul before the Roman conquest in the 50s BC. Many coins, minted between 27 BC and AD 54 and thrown into the water as offerings, have been discovered by archaeologists here.
Peyre Levade (La Borie Rouge)
Trip No.203 Entry No.213 Date Added: 21st Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jan 2012. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4
Peyre Levade (La Borie Rouge) submitted by theCaptain on 17th Jan 2012. Remains of a small dolmen in a garden just to the north of Lalbenque.
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Log Text: Remains of a small dolmen in a garden just to the north of Lalbenque. It is not well cared for and has had a large hedge planted between it and the roadside to presumably stop people like me having a look. In fact it looks as if one of the side slabs has recently been split.
Dolmen dit la Pierre Levée (Pélissie)
Trip No.203 Entry No.212 Date Added: 21st Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Midi:Lot (46))
Visited: Yes on 31st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4
Dolmen dit la Pierre Levée (Pélissie) submitted by theCaptain on 21st Jan 2012. The 4.5 by 2.5 metre capstone sits on not much of the crumbling side slabs but is nicely covered in moss.
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Log Text: Just to the south of the crossroads at Pélissie on the D6 road 50 metres up a little track and into a small woodland area can be found the remains of this dolmen. The 4.5 by 2.5 metre capstone sits on not much of the crumbling side slabs but is nicely covered in moss.