Peyre Hicade de Payolle

Trip No.205  Entry No.61  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 3 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: I spent hours looking for this, largely because walking around here in such a beautiful part of the world and the wonderful scenery is such a great pleasure. The stone is somewhere to the south of the Lac de Payolle, and its holiday complex. There is even a 2 hour circular walk signposted and named Peyre Hicade. But to properly find the stone takes a lot of doing, and it is not actually passed by the named walking trail !

To start with I wasn't totally sure that I found the real stone, but the one I found at least looks like a proper menhir, and not a natural fallen rock. It is just over 2 metres high although the top has broken off and lies at its foot, and by a trackway above the road at the furthest point from the lake on the Peyre Hicade walk, although the signposts for the path do not lead or point to the stone.

If following the road south from the lake, just after the road crosses a bridge, and then does an almost hairpin turn to the right, park and follow a trackway up the hill to the left, on the uphill side of the stream. If this is not the menhir, I do not know what is - it looks like an other picture I have seen.

Lou Couraus Cromlechs

Trip No.205  Entry No.59  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: France (Aquitaine:Pyrénées-Atlantiques 64)
Visited: Yes on 7th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: High up above the Ossau valley above the village of Bielle can be found several circles of stones, on a little shelf of land halfway up the mountainside, and in a wonderful viewpoint above the valley. From the village take the road up towards Col de Marie Blanc, and park at the Chapelle de Houndas after about 5 kilometres, and about 8 km before the Col. From here the cromlechs are easily reached, on a signposted walk along mountain trackways. Allow three hours for the return visit round the signposted footpath.

Unfortunately, the day I am here is not good for the weather, and I am mostly enveloped in cloud, so I am not getting the fantastic views, in fact most of my walk up the visibility is only 50 metres, which is a pity, because the big mountains around Col D'Aubisque should all be visible from here. After following the trackway for a couple of kilometres, the cromlechs are found a short distance up a steepish path to the left, and after lots of exploring, I counted what I thought to be 16 circles of various sizes.

The first cromlech I found, which I shall call Cromlech A (4), is right beside the track, and has a diameter of 6 metres, with 26 stones still in position, mostly contiguous around the outside, but with about 4 or 5 gaps. Within the circle are lots more stones, and perhaps the remnants of a central burial area, circular and about one metre in diameter. It is of course possible that these stones are the remains of a cairn, and the circular structure is a fluke (although after seeing more of these Pyrenean cromlechs later on my tour, the remains of burial cairns and cists in the centre of these circles is fairly common). A further look suggests that it may have had an entrance to the east, on 065°, between two larger white stones, with a dark one in between. This circle reminded me in many ways of that at Belstone on Dartmoor.

Cromlech B (2). This is a smaller circle, but very well formed, 4 metres in diameter, consisting of about 20 stones, with many more smaller pieces in place. The largest stone is about 0.7 metres high.

Cromlech C (1). This is about 9 metres in diameter with about 18 stones in place, with many more fallen. Some of these stones stand over a metre in height. The ground within is stony and slightly raised, suggesting the remains of a cairn. This circle is just 3 metres away from circle B at the closest point.

Cromlech D and more (6 to 15). Walking eastwards along the shelf of land from Cromlech A for 50 metres, and in a place where some of the vegetation has been cleared back can be seen many more circles of stone. It is not easy to count them, as although some are complete, several are partial, and many are buried in the undergrowth. Suffice to say that there are about a dozen circles here, made with smaller stones, and ranging in diameter from 2.5 metres to 5 metres. What I shall call circle 8 is a nicely formed circle 5 metres in diameter and with about 24 readily identifiable stones. It doesn't photograph well as it is underneath some bushes.

At last, after sitting and spending ages up here, the cloud has risen above me, and in fact there are patches of blue sky, although not as yet above the mountains. Its really beautiful up here, with birdies tweeting and bells ringing all around. How much longer should I stay though ? Perhaps its better to be getting back now, its gone 3:00pm. Ahhh, the cows have arrived. I can go back now the cows have come home ! Take many more pictures with the cows n them, the stones make good scratching posts. I get down to the van at 4:00, and its now mostly sunny. Time to tackle Aubisque and Soulor.

Calhau de Teberno Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.57  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Pyrénées-Atlantiques 64)
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This dolmen can be found in a nice little landscaped bit of parkland, sandwiched between the D.920 road and the railway line at the outskirts of the village of Buzy a couple of kilometres to the north of Arudy. There are many other rocks in the park, which have probably all been placed as features, but perhaps one or two are related to the dolmen.

It sits on top of a little hillock, which I wonder whether these are the remains of a large tumulus ? The chamber is largely below the level of the surrounding ground. The dolmen has a lovely curvy capstone sitting on top of a chamber 4 metres long by 1,5 metres wide, with nicely positioned side slabs each side (3 one side, 4 the other). There is a well fitted backstone, and the chamber opens to the southeast on an alignment of 135°, but perhaps more importantly this is looking directly towards the big gap in the mountains, which is the entry to the Ossau valley.

If it wasn't for the bad weather, and all the trees around, this dolmen would have superb views. I think that I later learn that the dolmen was possibly moved to its current position when the railway was constructed.

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.

Peyre-Crabère

Trip No.205  Entry No.53  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: Right beside the D.940 road as it enters the northern boundary of the town of Lourdes from Pau direction, can be found this large leaning menhir. It sits right at the corner of a little housing road, Rue Peyre-Crabère, and has a bus shelter and garden hedge for company on its other two sides. The stone is about 3 metres tall, and leans almost 30° from vertical. While I was stopped here, it was thundering, pouring with rain, and very busy with traffic.

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.

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.

Fontaine de Trois Seigneurs tumulus

Trip No.205  Entry No.50  Date Added: 25th Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 6th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: When at the Fontaine de Trois Seigneurs, instead of turning left towards the Pouey-Majou dolmen continue southwest for a few hundred yards along the farmtrack, and there is a large mound at the top of the hill. It can be clearly seen against the skyline while walking towards it from quite some distance off, all covered in bracken and scrub. Unfortunately, it has all been fenced off, so I couldnt get a closer look. It looks to be about 20 metres in diameter, by 3 metres high. The northwest side looks to have been recently cut away with earth moving equipment. In fact, it is in such a badly cared for state, that at first I assumed that it might be just a modern mound of earth, for some reason piled there by the farmer. But it is indeed an ancient burial mound, which is in desperate need of some proper care. It wouldn't be the only one of these large burial mounds round here to be destroyed in recent times, as one was ploughed out less than 10 years ago.

La Croix-La Botte

Trip No.205  Entry No.49  Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Midi:Hautes-Pyrénées (65))
Visited: Yes on 5th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 !

La Roque-Saint-Christophe

Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 19th Sep 1978

Log Text: Hitch Hiking Trip round France in the summer of 1978. Camped for a couple of days at Les Eyzies to visit and wonder at the ancient sites here.

Font-de-Gaume

Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 1978

Log Text: Hitch Hiking Trip round France in the summer of 1978. Camped for a couple of days at Les Eyzies to visit and wonder at the ancient sites here.

Musée National de Préhistoire

Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 18th Sep 1978

Log Text: Hitch Hiking Trip round France in the summer of 1978. Camped for a couple of days at Les Eyzies to visit and wonder at the ancient sites here.

Abri de Cro-Magnon

Date Added: 21st Oct 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th Sep 1978

Log Text: Hitch Hiking Trip round France in the summer of 1978. Camped for a couple of days at Les Eyzies to visit and wonder at the ancient sites here.

Menhir Ste Carissime

Trip No.205  Entry No.40  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Along the D.1 road between Le Verdier and Cahuzac-sur-Vère, and this menhir can be seen across the far side of the river, which is beyond a ploughed field to the south. At this time in the evening, the menhir was glowing a golden colour in the rays of the setting sun. I struggled across the ploughed field to get a close look from across the river, and estimate it to be about 2 metres tall and 1 metre wide, nicely positioned at a bend in the river below vine covered hillsides. After returning to my van and driving off, about half a mile further east along the road I saw a sign to "menhir" which would have taken you along a footpath and across a bridge to approach the menhir. Oh well.

Dolmen de Saillac

Trip No.205  Entry No.37  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Midi:Tarn-et-Garonne (82))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a bizarrely Christianised dolmen which can be found in the forests to the south of the village of Caylus. From Caylus follow the signs to St-Amans-le-Vieux ancient church, and park in the vicinity of this, from where you take the GR46 Footpath the opposite way from the road towards the southwest for about 500 metres, and the remains of the dolmen can be seen on the left.

This dolmen has been much altered, and at first I had difficulty recognising it, but it is right beside the path with the wall built right through it. On top of the remains of the capstone has been built a stone plinth, with an ornate iron cross protruding from this, the top of which is about 3 metres above the ground. The dolmen is still partially contained within its circular mound, and the remains of two sidestones and a backstone can be seen, with the small capstone balanced on these and a few other bits of stone to make it level.