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Bas Villette Dolmen
Trip No.202 Entry No.40 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Couldn't find on 30th Apr 2005
Log Text: I could find nothing here despite it being marked on my ign map. It is perhaps in private woodland.
Pierres dit Palais du Diable
Trip No.202 Entry No.41 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4
Pierres dit Palais du Diable submitted by TheCaptain on 9th May 2005. Le Palais au Diable, or Pierres Jumelles, Mayenne.
Perhaps the whole thing is one giant burial mound, which it looks more like as seen here from the north.
It is all covered with trees with lots of birds singing, and a woodpecker pecking away with its loud ratatatatattatt.
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Log Text: 2 kilometres east of the village of Sainte Gemmes- le-Robert are marked two dolmens or megalithic monuments on my ign map one north and the other south of a little crossroads. The northern one consists of a large mound with many large stones scattered about. It looks at first like it may be the top of a natural to type of thing but the stones are too well laid out in unnatural shapes and alignments. There is one pile of stones which has three flat slabs perched on top of other large blocks in a row. Perhaps the whole thing is one giant burial mound. It is all covered with trees with lots of birds singing and a woodpecker pecking away with its loud ratatatatattatt.
La Chaise du Diable
Trip No.202 Entry No.42 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005
La Chaise du Diable submitted by TheCaptain on 9th May 2005. Le Gasseau Megaliths, or La Chaise du Diable, Sainte Gemmes-le-Robert, Mayenne.
These I could not determine fully, as I could not gain full access to either of the possible sites. It could be some large stones in a wooded area, or alternatively, and I think more likely, a large tor like hillock, with many stones scattered about on its slopes, many of which don’t look to be in natural positions.
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Log Text: 2 kilometres east of the village of Sainte Gemmes- le-Robert are marked two dolmens or megalithic monuments on my ign map one north and the other south of a little crossroads. The southern one I could not determine fully as I could not gain full access to any of the possible sites. It could be some large stones in a wooded area or alternatively and I think more likely another large tor like hillock with many stones scattered about on its slopes many of which don’t look to be in natural positions.
Pierre Aigue, Richebourg
Trip No.202 Entry No.43 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005
Pierre Aigue, Richebourg submitted by TheCaptain on 9th May 2005. Pierre Aigue, Richebourg Mayenne.
A nice looking allée couverte down near a stream seen across a large field. There were no signs and I couldn’t see how to get to it without crossing fences and fields.
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Log Text: Allée couverte down near a stream seen across a large field near Richebourg farmhouse. There were no signs and I couldn’t see how to get to it. The remains of what I saw looked quite long and made from large rounded brown stones.
Dolmen des Erves
Trip No.202 Entry No.45 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5
Dolmen des Erves submitted by TheCaptain on 10th May 2005. Dolmen des Erves, Sainte Suzanne, Mayenne.
The helpful noticeboard at the site.
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Log Text: This is an easily found dolmen a couple of kilometres north of the fortified village of Saint-Suzanne which is quite well known for being the base of Hubert de Beaumont who took up refuge there after 1066 and made raids against the Normans before being put under siege by William in 1083. It is signposted from the village and has its own little parking area where it is situated in a little fenced off area surrounded by some very friendly young cows.
The remains are of a single large chamber which used to be covered by a mound of the Angevins type of which this is a very northern example. The rectangular chamber is about 4 metres by 3 metres in size and consists of two enormous capstones sitting on large upright slabs with an entranceway. The western internal end of the chamber has a capstone about 3 metres by 3 metres which rests on two side stones and one large end stone. The eastern part has a capstone about 3 m by 2 m resting on two side stones only but has two parallel entrance stones further to the east.
The rest of this chamber would have consisted of dry stone walling. Excavated in 1868 and again in 1983 it has been carbon dated to between 4000 and 4700 BC. It is said that there were another 3 dolmens and a menhir within sight of this chamber only a hundred years ago.
Dolmen des Iles
Trip No.202 Entry No.46 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4
Dolmen des Iles submitted by TheCaptain on 10th May 2005. Dolmen des Iles, Sainte Suzanne, Mayenne.
A wrecked dolmen just east of the dolmen des Erves.
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Log Text: A wrecked dolmen situated atop a small hillock in a field just east of the dolmen des Erves. I didn’t enter the field to get a close look.
La Table des Diables
Trip No.202 Entry No.47 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 30th Apr 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3
La Table des Diables submitted by TheCaptain on 10th May 2005. La Table des Diables, Sainte Suzanne, Mayenne.
A lot of this site looks natural until you look closely.
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Log Text: Also known as La Pierre au Diable this site is an 800 metre signposted uphill walk southwards from a parking place near to la Vallette. As with many of these monuments this is at the top of a ridge within an enchanting forest full of birdsong and wildflowers – a cuckoo being particularly prominent here. The stones are surrounded by wizened old oak trees and large pines without which the views would be superb.
A lot of this site looks natural until you look closely. Apart from the very large (4 m by 2 m) stone sat on top of a rocky outcrop with a couple of small supports just west of this are remains of what looks to me like a wrecked allée couverte with two rows of parallel edge set stones about a metre apart. Perhaps the large rock on top of the outcrop was once a capstone for this ruined monument.
La Hamelinière
Trip No.202 Entry No.49 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5
La Hamelinière submitted by TheCaptain on 10th May 2005. La Hamelinière allée couverte, Chantrigné, Mayenne.
On the eastern outskirts of the village of Chantrigné this fine allée couverte can be seen, looking to all the world like its in somebody’s private back garden.
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Log Text: On the eastern outskirts of the village of Chantrigné this fine allée couverte can be seen looking to all the world like its in somebody’s private back garden. However the man in the house came out and showed me a way round the back (down the side lane then along a footpath between hedges) which gets you right to the allée couverte which is being set into its own little public area.
The remains of the main chamber are about 9 metres long 2 metres wide orientated 080° and has a divider stone placed across the inside of the chamber. Four large capstones remain with 9 stones still standing of the southern side 7 on the northern side which are not in pairs. Another capstone lies fallen near the entrance. Some of the internal stones have holes in them I do not know if they are natural or man made.
Bignon Dolmen
Trip No.202 Entry No.50 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Bignon Dolmen submitted by TheCaptain on 10th May 2005. Bignon dolmen, Niort-la-Fontaine, Mayenne.
A little Mayenne allée couverte still largely within its mound.
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Log Text: A little Mayenne allée couverte still largely within its mound but its all falling down and a bit of a wreck. However it is now living in a little fenced off area and is signposted from the hamlet and included on a couple of mapped and signposted walks from the village.
Only one capstone 2.5 m by 2 m remains on its supports but a couple more can be seen. The main chamber is orientated 080° and several side slabs can be seen sticking out of the mound which is approximately rectangular 11 metres long 6 metres wide and up to 2 metres in height.
Bignon Menhir
Trip No.202 Entry No.51 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53))
Visited: Couldn't find on 1st May 2005
Bignon Menhir submitted by karolus on 10th Jan 2019. Site in Pays de la Loire:Mayenne (53) France
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Log Text: To the southwest of the dolmen is supposedly a menhir and it is marked both on my ign map and on the local maps and footpath signposts. However it is probably to be found in very thick woodland and try as hard as I did I found no sight of it.
Dolmen dit le Lit de la Gione
Trip No.202 Entry No.52 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen dit le Lit de la Gione submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. Le Lit de la Gione.
Signpost telling the legend of the stones.
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Log Text: This much wrecked dolmen is found a mile or so walk westwards (signposted) along the GR22 from La Croix Gautier. It seems to be the remains of a large single dolmen but now just 3 large slabs remain so it is difficult to tell. One stone is upright on its edge with a dislodged capstone and another slab a few metres away. The large capstone is about 3 m by 2.5 m by 0.5 m thick.
A bank surrounding the forest track has been built into whatever was here. There is a nice legend about the stone which is written on a little board alongside but of which I am not really sure of the details. It basically concerns the old fairy Gione who did bad things to the local farmers before dying in the dolmen after some sort of intervention from a priest.
La Bertinière
Trip No.202 Entry No.53 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 1st May 2005
La Bertinière submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. La Bertinière, La Sauvagère, Orne.
I estimate it to be about 10 cow lengths long, and a cow high.
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Log Text: Despite being a monument of national historic importance and signposted as such half a kilometre walk from the main road I assume a new farmer has taken up residence and all the fields are now well fenced off with barbed and electric wire and countless signs so I wasn’t able to pay a proper visit. It can however be seen to the south of the main road west of the village and was in a field of cows. It looks to be a fairly large monument much bigger than most in these parts. I estimate it to be about 10 cow lengths long and a cow high.
Dolmen dit de la Grandière
Trip No.202 Entry No.54 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3
Dolmen dit de la Grandière submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. La Grandière dolmen, Joué-de-Bois, Orne.
It looked like a natural outcrop to me, but I was assured it is a dolmen. I guess that in the years gone by, the people were perhaps making do with nature’s provision. A low key village dolmen rather than a big substantial monument.
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Log Text: Not easy to find in an area of small fields and lots of natural rocky outcrops and field clearance cairns just to the northwest of the village. However there was a local man in his garden who I asked and he willingly lead me to it over a couple of fields to the south of the farmhouse. It looked a bit like another natural rocky outcrop to me but he assured me it was the dolmen as he wasn’t allowed to touch it and has to leave an area around it clear of any farming.
As stated it looks a lot like a natural outcrop to me but there is a large rounded stone balanced on the top of a few smaller pieces. I guess that in the years gone by the people were perhaps making do with nature’s provision. A low key village dolmen rather than a big substantial monument.
Menhir d'Outres
Trip No.202 Entry No.55 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Couldn't find on 1st May 2005
Menhir d'Outres submitted by foz750 on 25th Nov 2023. Site in Normandie:Orne (61) France
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Log Text: Marked on my map pretty much near the centre of the village of Joué-de-Bois but I failed to find this menhir.
La Table des Fées, Chêneduit
Trip No.202 Entry No.57 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3
La Table des Fées, Chêneduit submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. La Table des Fées, Chêneduit, Orne.
a small dolmen which has been built into a field wall. The remains consist of a capstone which is sitting on top of a pair of uprights, in a somewhat unlikely position on a steep slope above a small stream
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Log Text: Although marked on my ign map there are no signs to this in an area of small fields and many rocky outcrops. I asked a lady in a house with a small imitation dolmen in the garden and she seemed pleased that somebody was looking for it. I was informed that it was called the Table-des-Fées and she pointed me to it over a couple of fields.
It is a small dolmen which has been built into a field wall. The remains consist of a capstone which is sitting on top of a pair of uprights in a somewhat unlikely position on a steep slope above a small stream. The capstone is about 2 metres and rounded more than a metre off the ground. There are many other large stones here and I suspect that there was once a lot more to it.
Menhir dit la Droite Pierre (Chênedouit)
Trip No.202 Entry No.58 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Couldn't find on 1st May 2005
Menhir dit la Droite Pierre (Chênedouit) submitted by oldman on 4th Nov 2017. Site in Normandie:Orne (61) France
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Log Text: Stupidly I forgot to look for this 2.3 metre high menhir to the west of the village in my rush to get to the Pierre de Gargantua.
L'Affiloire de Gargantua
Trip No.202 Entry No.59 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4
L'Affiloire de Gargantua submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. Pierre de Gargantua, Craménil, Orne
A four metre high shaped menhir in a field near a marshy area, and perhaps with a spring close by.
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Log Text: A four metre high shaped menhir in a field to the north of the little lane running west from Chêneduit to Craménil. It is across a field near a marshy area and perhaps with a spring close by. Many other stones lay around in the area.
Menhir de la Courbe
Trip No.202 Entry No.60 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
Menhir de la Courbe submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. Menhir de la Courbe, Menil-Jean, Orne.
To the east of Menil-Jean where the lane crosses the river Orne, there is a picnic site beside the river on the northeast side. The menhir is just a few metres from here, right beside the river and leaning substantially.
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Log Text: To the east of Menil-Jean where the lane crosses the river Orne there is a picnic site beside the river on the northeast side. The menhir is just a few metres from here right beside the river and leaning substantially. The stone is only about 2.5 metres high for its 3.5 metres length and about 2 metres wide at its base.
La Pierre Tournoire, La Courbe
Trip No.202 Entry No.61 Date Added: 28th Mar 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 1st May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4
La Pierre Tournoire, La Courbe submitted by TheCaptain on 11th May 2005. La Pierre Tournoire, La Courbe, Orne.
Its about 1.5 metres tall, and made of a funny crumbly orangey sandstone full of holes.
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Log Text: Marked on one of my maps as a menhir and another as a dolmen I have no reason to believe there are not the remains of both somewhere in the vicinity as well as an Iron Age encampment. What I found was a single stone standing on the ridge of a promontory overlooking the river Orne.
It's about 1.5 metres tall and made of a funny crumbly orangey sandstone full of holes. There was lots of other loose stone around its base probably fallen from the disintegrating menhir which is 1.5 metres wide at its base and about 0.7 m thick.
Dolmen dit Pierre-aux-Bignes
Trip No.202 Entry No.62 Date Added: 29th Mar 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Normandie:Orne (61))
Visited: Yes on 2nd May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4
Dolmen dit Pierre-aux-Bignes submitted by thecaptain on 1st Nov 2005. Pierre-aux-Bignes and Tumulus-des-Hogues.
Seen here together down the farmtrack leading to them.
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Log Text: North of the village of Habloville and signposted from the road its about a 200 metre walk along a track to get to the monument where there are two burial mounds.
The northwestern of the two round mounds is about 15 metres in diameter and about 2 metres high at the edges. Within the mound which has been dug out is the dolmen des Bignes burial chamber. This has a massive capstone (4 metres by 3 metres) held up on 6 uprights with a few other stones scattered around. There is about 1 metre of height between today’s ground and the capstone but I could not determine where any entrance would have been although it would not have been to the west.
The ambience of these burial mounds is spoiled by it obviously used as a place where the local youth (or others) go to have a drink leaving all their detritus behind. There are broken bottles and other rubbish all over the place.