Poueyferré Tumulus

Trip No.205  Entry No.52  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: A few kilometres to the northwest of Lourdes, on the eastern side of the D.940 road near to Poueyferré, take the minor road down into the dip to the hamlet of Maillous, where this large tumulus can be found. To get to the tumulus, which can be seen from the road, walk down a little trackway which leads to the south beside a couple of houses. The trackway runs out at a little woodland, and the tumulus is contained within this wood.

It is about 30 metres in diameter, and 5 metres high with quite steep sides, and has a relatively modern tomb built onto the top of it. The woodland is fenced off, so complete access to the tumulus is not possible, and as the undergrowth is quite thick, getting decent pictures is not easy.

Just to the north of the large mound, about 40 metres away, is the remains of what looks to have been another tumulus, now mostly ploughed out and lost into the fields, except for a small bit still covered with trees. It has become horribly wet again here, with thunderstorms rumbling all around.

Dolmen du Peyre-Dusets

Trip No.205  Entry No.54  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: To the northwest of the village of Poueyferré, take the road up into the hills towards the Dechetterie and park as near as possible to the Chemin Henry IV trackway which runs along the top of the ridge here. Take this ancient trackway northwards, and walk for about a kilometer, where the Peyre-Dusets dolmen can be found. It is signposted.

The dolmen is right beside the track and has a 2 metres by 1 metre chamber covered by a partially fallen capstone which is fairly round and about 2.5 metres in diameter. The dolmen faces towards the southeast and probably has fantastic views towards the mountains, but unfortunately no view at all today while I am here. There is a semblance of the remains of a mound at the back and to the west of the dolmen.

There are lots of deer in and out of the maize in the fields around here, and chestnuts falling onto me from the trees surrounding the lane, which is nice.

Armenteule Menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.64  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Deep in the Louron valley, on the western side of the Col de Peyresourde in the high Pyrenees, is the tiny village of Armenteule. In this sleepy little Pyrenean village there is an old church. Inside the churchyard, just beside the back of the church, is a standing stone. Whether the church was built beside the menhir, or the stone was brought here later I do not know.

The stone is a piece of slatey schist, stands some 1.3 metres tall, and is approximately 40 cm wide by 20 cm thick at the base, tapering slightly to the top. The whole place has a nice feel about it, as if its as old as the hills, and that man has been living and farming here for eternity. It is slightly strange that this stone (and that at nearby Aneran) is made of a dark grey / black slatey stone, when the majority of stone round here is pale granite.

Estaque d'Avezac cinq tumuli

Trip No.205  Entry No.48  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: To the west of the village of La Barthe-sur-Neste, and southeast of Capvern, along the hilltop beside the D.938 road, is a row of tumulus mounds. Most are now obvious only because of the ferns and stuff left growing on them, but the northwestern end tumulus is very well formed, 12 metres in diameter, 2 metres high and with a large cross on top. The row extends for about 1 kilometre, and there were probably once many more mounds to be found here, now mostly ploughed out or destroyed by the road.

Grotte de Gargas

Trip No.205  Entry No.46  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: This is the cave which is famous for all the hand prints, but there is in fact much more than these to be seen. The cave is easily found round some windy lanes, being well signposted, and it is open every day, €6 entry per adult to visit, which takes about an hour. The visit is on two levels, which were two separate caves in prehistoric times, the joining together of which was done in the 19th century. The two caves are both very different, being used at different times in the past.

The upper level is a large, vertically oriented, well calcite decorated cave, within which are some paintings of animals in either red oxide or black manganese. There are bison, bouquetin and deer. The lower level has some panels with different animals engraved into the walls, which demonstrates the different time of usage, there are mammouth, auryx and reindeer. And then of course there are the hand prints, made by blowing the red or black pigment over the hand. Most do not have complete sets of fingers, and most are left hands, however all have a complete thumb. Why missing fingers ? Surely the hunters of the time would not have cut them off, as it would have been far too much of a handicap. Could it have been disease ? If so, then why no missing thumbs ? The latest thoughts as to this mystery is that the fingers may well have been simply bent back before making the silhouettes. In which case, is it a sign language ? What does it all mean ? Near to the end of the visit to the cave, is the "Great Wall of Hands". Not all of the hands are of adults, and there are hands from children too, some of which must have been quite young. The prints on this wall have been dated to 27,000 years ago. It is incredible to look at these hands of man from all that time ago. Near to the current exit to the cave, there are current excavations going on, the first since 1911, and they are hoping that with modern techniques, that more can be learned about the men that lived here.

Pouey-Mayou

Trip No.205  Entry No.51  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: To the southwest of the town of Tarbes, and the village of Osson, take the unmarked road to the south. Partway along this road is a parking area, picnic site and a map of footpath circuits in the area. However, continue further until the road runs out and turns into a dirt track. From here, the Pouey-Majou dolmen should now be signposted on yellow footpath signs, but basically turn left, then left again and walk up to the top of the hill, about a kilometre from where I was able to park.

The dolmen is to be found in a large mound, one of many large mounds along this hilltop ridge, but the only one easily and relatively readily accessible without doing a whole days walk to Bartres. The top of the mound has been dug into to reveal a large stone lined chamber about 7 metres long by 3 metres wide, with a single capstone still in place at the eastern end.

It is all very overgrown and difficult to see clearly, let alone get good photos of. It doesn't help that its been raining heavily for 24 hours, and everything is soaking wet. The mound is probably 40 metres in diameter, and up to 4 or 5 metres high. The level of the top of the remaining capstone is at least 2 metres below the level of the mound here.

Estaque tumulus

Trip No.205  Entry No.47  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 5th Sep 2005

Log Text: To the west of the village of La Barthe-sur-Neste, and northeast of the row of tumuli along the ridgetop road, can be found the remains of the Estaque tumulus. This is a very large mound, now contained beyond the confines of a rubbish facility, and not easy to access, although it can just about be seen from the road.

Peyrasse menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.55  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Sep 2005

Log Text: I had a bit of a look for this, but it is not on the map in detail, and I found nothing obvious in the real world.

Menhir de Soulor

Trip No.205  Entry No.60  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Couldn't find on 7th Sep 2005

Log Text: There is a stone at the top of the Col de Soulor, now used as a signpost and footpath marker, but I doubt it is the menhir. Nothing else obvious was seen while I was up here, but the Col was in the clouds and the visibility was severely lacking.

At a later point in time, I found out that apparently the stone is down the road to the left (North) of the Col.

Menhir de Bordères-Louron

Trip No.205  Entry No.62  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Couldn't find on 8th Sep 2005

Log Text: I asked at Tourist Office, but they, as usual, knew nothing, and said I must have the wrong village !

Carnac Pyrénéen

Trip No.205  Entry No.65  Date Added: 26th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: Blimey, its almost sunny. In fact it is sunny at the tops of the mountains. I'd better get a move on. A bakers van comes round the camp site which is a help. Put last nights wet stuff outside to dry off. Leave the campsite by 10:00 and drive to Benque. Unfortunately I cannot park where I want to. Look at the maps and go elsewhere where I can park at the edge of the main road a bit further up the valley, and start walking up a different path. It is now warm and sunny, so I change back into shorts and techno shirt. Pack bag, boots on and away by 10 to 11.

The route is along a flat track at first, and then it joins with the path I would have been on at the edge of the village. The path is now quite steep, zig zagging up the side of the mountain, but its a well used track with occasional signs. I get to the first set of cromlechs at 11:45. The views from up here are beautiful all around, and there are all sorts of big birds flying around, and mushrooms etc. There are a few of the autumn crocus flowers looking to poke their heads out and bloom. The only other people around are 4 English people, who I saw parking where I had wanted to in the village. Cars will fit there, but not camper vans.

The 4 English people join me at the circles and we chat a bit. They are out walking and looking at the birds. Probably about my age and out here on a months holiday! There are lots of vultures about just above us. There is a sheep carcas further up the hill that they are after, but there is a dog up there also, so the vultures are circling, waiting... They have counted over 60 of them. A fantastic sight.

On the way back from here there are lots of those lovely flat thistle flowers out, and also some of the autumn crocus. This morning they were just pushing their heads through the soil, but now they are in full flower. Beautiful. It was a wonderful few hours up here in the hills, but now I have to get on. The weather has now cleared enough that I can see some glaciers up on the distant ridge. I get back down to the van just after 4:00, and decide to move on. I decide to head for Spain, over the Col du Portillon, which doesn't seem too far up, but its a massive drop down the other side into Spain.

L'alignement d'Espiaub

Trip No.205  Entry No.68  Date Added: 26th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: I have seen nothing definite about what is to be found up here, but it is possible to imagine/envisage that there are perhaps 4 or 5 lines of stones running across the hillside, with one or more crossing them, but it is very difficult to know exactly what is what. I walked down from the second set of cromlechs to something I could see, and found a manhole cover for a little cattle trough reservoir !

Looking back up the hillside from here, I would swear that I can see lines of stones coming down the hill from the first set of cromlechs. The stones are all in the bracken, but the bigger stones stand out above this. I think I can see 4 or 5 parallel rows of stones running down the hillside, with the stones looking evenly spaced. They extend to beyond where I am - perhaps 500 metres or more in total length, and I would estimate about 20 metres between rows. This is very difficult to photograph. But am I seeing things ? Not for nothing is there something up here called the Espiaube alignments.

While searching around on the slopes for closer signs of the parallel rows, and I still believe that I can see them, I clearly see a row running up and down the slope, across the lines of possible alignments. The top of the row starts at a spring, which has several large stones standing within a little pool, and continues downslope for about 100 metres, with perhaps more lost in the thick bracken. The stones are spaced evenly, about 8 metres apart from each other. I started to count the stones while walking up from the bottom, but part way up I am sure I saw another line running in parallel with the obvious one. The second line is in the bracken, while the first is in clear grass, as if lots of people have walked up and down here. This all reminds me very much of various Dartmoor and Exmoor rows.

Mail de Soupène Cromlechs

Trip No.205  Entry No.67  Date Added: 26th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: Wow ! A bit further down the hill to the east, on a little upland ridge, is a row of stone circles all interlocking with each other. I counted 14 cairn circles up here, sort of joined together in a line along a little hillock. Fantastic. The largest one is on the top of the hillock, and there a row of others running from it down the ridgetop. Then there are other smaller circles built in between the larger ones.

Some of these circles have very well defined cists in their centre - indeed a couple of the smaller, lower circles still have slab lined boxes with both floor and capstones still in place. The top circle has a diameter of 7 metres, and is nicely formed with 23 stones making up the circumference with just a few gaps. There is nice flat grass within but no other obvious features. There are too many circles to write about individually, so I will just list the basic details of the circles I saw in a table below, with numbers matching the little sketch plan.

There is possibly a lot more remains here in the bracken, and not so well defined, and difficult to find.

Grottes et abris préhistoriques de la vallée de la Save

Trip No.200  Entry No.55  Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2000. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Drive west from Toulouse to explore Gascony. Montmaurin, Mielan, Mirande, Condom, St Puy, Fleurance, Mauvezin, Cologne. Fields of sunflowers, beautiful. An intriguing little road through a gorge with lots of cliff shelters and cave which contained ancient remains.

Musée de Lespugue

Trip No.205  Entry No.43  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Access 5

Log Text: In the central square of the little village of Lespugue is a museum, which, as many European museums are, is closed on a Monday. This museum has an exhibition of 35,000 years of Lespugue. Outside the museum in a little grassy park is a 10 times lifesize copy of the Venus de Lespugue, a pregnant woman figure dated to 33,000BC, carved from a mammouth tusk which was found in a cave just below the village.

Grotte des Rideaux

Trip No.205  Entry No.44  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: In the gorges of the river Save, just below the village of Lespugue, can be found many caves and shelters which have yielded ancient remains of habitation from up to 30,000 years ago. Below the Chateau de Lespugue, but very difficult to get to due to the steep sides of the gorge and all the undergrowth is the Grotte de Rideaux (not far from the place where there is a rock in the middle of the road) within which was found the Venus de Lespugue figurine.

Musée de Préhistoire (Aurignac)

Trip No.205  Entry No.42  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 5th Sep 2005

Log Text: In the centre of Aurignac village is the prehistory museum, with all sorts of finds and items found in the local caves. It is situated underneath a little village square with parking available. However, when I visited, it was closed, with a notice stating that it had been closed in May 2004 by the Mairie, for an indefinite period. I have no idea why.

Grotte d'Aurignac

Trip No.205  Entry No.41  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Just to the north of the village of Aurignac can be found this important prehistoric shelter, where in 1852 a man was out hunting rabbit with his dog, and the dog found a bone down a hole. Upon the news of this discovery, the locals started investigating and found remains of 27 skeletons, which were removed and reburied in the local cemetery. In the 1860's, scientific excavations were done here, which found that the site had been occupied 30,000 years ago. Many tools, bones etc were found, and the site has given its name to a whole civilisation, the Aurignacian, which dates to between 30,000 and 25,000 years BC.

Today, beside the D.635 road to the northwest of Aurignac village, there is a layby and picnic area, with a large noticeboard explaining about the site. About 50 metres from the noticeboard, down a little track, and there is a small stream with a little bridge made from a large stone slab. Over the millennia, this stream has cut itself into a little cliff face, about 50 metres long by up to 10 metres high. In this cliff face is a large opening which is the first shelter excavated in 1862. There are also a few other smaller openings which have been excavated since, within which more finds were taken from. This is a nice and atmospheric little place. Pity about the rain !

Tourenne Gallo-Roman Villa

Trip No.200  Entry No.56  Date Added: 17th Jun 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 22nd Jul 2000. My rating: Access 5

Log Text: Drive west from Toulouse to explore Gascony. Montmaurin, Mielan, Mirande, Condom, St Puy, Fleurance, Mauvezin, Cologne. Fields of sunflowers, beautiful. Stopped by this Roman villa, but it was going to take too long for a proper visit, so satisfied myself with a look over the hedge from the car park.

Grottes et abris préhistoriques de la vallée de la Save

Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Midi:Haute-Garonne (31))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 5 Access 5

Log Text: In the gorges of the river Save, just below the village of Lespugue, can be found many caves and shelters which have yielded ancient remains of habitation from up to 30,000 years ago. Below the Chateau de Lespugue, but very difficult to get to due to the steep sides of the gorge and all the undergrowth is the Grotte de Rideaux (not far from the place where there is a rock in the middle of the road) within which was found the Venus de Lespugue figurine. Some of the many other Abris and caves are easily visited, being right by the roadside. This is a fascinating place, and amazing to think about all its long history. Well worth a look.