Sainte-Barbe alignement

Trip No.203  Entry No.434  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 15th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is an interesting and strange place, slightly off the tourist trails to the west of the D.781 Carnac to Erdeven road near to the village of Ste Barbe. It seems to be two long, widely spaced rows of menhirs heading off parallel to each other at 120°, approximately 40 metres apart from each other. At the western end is a row of really massive stones running across between the rows, normal to them, creating a sort of horseshoe shape. There are just 4 stones, but two of them are the biggest standing stones I have seen anywhere, more than 5 metres in height, possibly 4 to 5 metres in width, and up to 2 metres thick. These must have taken some effort to get into position. It has probably all been altered over the years, and walls have been built into it, but its all most impressive.

Further walking around makes me think that it might not have been a massive horseshoe shape at all, as the presence of other stones in hedges etc suggests that there may have been more parallel lines of stones, about equally spaced either side. Its an intriguing place. I later read that there was once eight lines of stones here, in what was once a set of alignments of major importance. The weather is horribly humid at the moment.

Kerhuen Dolmens

Trip No.203  Entry No.440  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 15th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: This is a nice find, pleasantly situated at the top of the hill on the village green, with a view over the Etel estuary and its oysterbeds. It's a dolmen with entry passageway, with an oval chamber about 4 metres by 3 metres. The capstone sits on several of the eight side slabs, but is no longer high enough to stand up in, having slipped down on one side. The remains of the passageway are only about 3 metres long, with one capstone surviving, but the road has cut through any more there may once have been. It faces about 140°. The weather is definitely clearing now.

Just 40 metres further up the village green to the south from the obvious dolmen, and hidden by a large oak tree, are the remains of another chamber. It was probably very similar to the northern one but now has no capstones at all, and the remains today are just an oval of slabs, with a couple of passage stones. Less than a hundred years ago, there were the remains of two more dolmens here, but which are now completely destroyed, their only remains now being slight depressions within the village green.

Bellevue Menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.451  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: Bellevue menhir near to the town of Moëlan-sur-Mer is more than 4 metres tall, right beside the old Roman road to the south of the town centre. I found it difficult to park nearby and get a reasonable picture in between dodging all the traffic on this busy road.

Goërem Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.445  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: I came all the way out to this poor depressed village at the end of a long peninsula and stayed the night on the harbourside in order to visit this, "the finest angled passage grave in existance". Take a good torch it says. So on a nasty dull grey day I walk round the seafront and through the village till I eventually find it. It is right on the western seafront, in amongst the houses, and has a reasonable amount of land reserved around it. It would probably have a spectacular view if there was one to be seen through all the murk.

Its not a very big mound, just a big enough barrow to cover the passage grave, which is about 20 metres by 10 metres, and up to 3 metres in height maximum, perhaps more originally as the modern ground level is probably higher than it was, particularly with the sea wall here. The entrance is on the south side, but it's gated up, with an iron gate concreted in to the ground, so despite having two torches, I cannot enter and put them to use. But I have to say, that it's no doubt for the best, as the place is littered with broken bottles and other rubbish, with graffitti sprayed everywhere, and badly smelling of a toilet block. This poor little town is clearly suffering from a lack of jobs and investment, and seems to have a bit of a problem with bored youth compared to much of the rest of France. Its a great shame, as I was really looking forward to seeing this place properly. I would like to think that the excellent state of the internal structure is still as it was a few years ago, and that the engraved pillars of the passageway are still in good condition.

Menhir de Courégant

Trip No.203  Entry No.448  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 2 Access 2

Log Text: Courégant menhir is 5 metres tall, and can be found just outside the back of a holiday homes complex. There is no obvious path through to it, but some people in one of the chalets let me take a picture from their decking ! Thanks to them !

Menhir de Kerroc'h (Ploemeur)

Trip No.203  Entry No.447  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Kerroc’h menhir is a small menhir, only about 1.7 metres tall, that initially looks impossible to get to through the gorse. However, there is a footpath to it from beside the houses, and it comes complete with a little sign.

Menhirs de Hirguer

Trip No.203  Entry No.450  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stones Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th Jun 2005

Log Text: A few hundred metres to the south of the road to Clohars from Moelan, bit further to the east along the road from the above menhir, can be seen this menhir which must be about 3 metres tall.

Menhir de Mescléo A

Trip No.203  Entry No.449  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: This is a 2 metre tall menhir right beside the surprisingly busy road between Moelan and Clohars. There is another stone beside it - perhaps a broken top ?

Mentoul Menhir

Trip No.203  Entry No.452  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: This menhir is found in a little grassy area just to the north of the town centre, between the houses. Its about 3 metres high and 2 metres wide.

Alignements de Gueldro

Trip No.203  Entry No.446  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Couldn't find on 16th Jun 2005

Log Text: I had three attempts at finding the remnants of this once important set of eight parallel rows, but found nothing. The best I found was a bit of uncultivated land, completely covered in gorse and not possible to get to, which was in about the right place, so that was probably it. I found no signs or any other reference to it until afterwards, and the place I found was definately the right place.

Allée Couverte de Kérandrège

Trip No.203  Entry No.453  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: In a field to the left of the D116 road to the south of Moelan-sur-Mer on the way to Brigneau can be found this lovely allée couverte with an associated menhir just outside its entrance. The menhir is about 3 metres high, 2 metres wide and has been nicely shaped.

The allée couverte is about 9 metres in length and faces to the east on an alignment of 100°. There are three complete and one broken (at the back) capstones sitting on top of the inwards leaning side stones, which are much wider at the base than the capstone width. Unfortunately the back end is all broken and has a tree growing in it. The front end has a narrowed down entrance.

There is a "hooting Hubert" bouy somewhere out to sea, continually hooting away !

Menhir de Kerandrège

Trip No.203  Entry No.454  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This menhir has lost its top, but is still about 3 metres high, 2 metres wide and has been nicely shaped, and is associated with the lovely allée couverte with which it stands just outside the entrance. It can be found in a field to the left of the D116 road to the south of Moelan-sur-Mer on the way to Brigneau.

Allée Couverte de Kergoustance

Trip No.203  Entry No.455  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: This is a nice allée couverte which can be found in a field just to the right of the D.24 road as you head southwest out of Moelan-sur-Mer just at the limits of the village. The chamber is more than 15 metres in length, and has all seven capstones still in place, although a couple of them are broken. It is aligned on about 055°, but it is difficult to be precise because of the trees growing within it preventing me getting a good sightline for my compass. The stones consist of a nice pink granite, and is of the leaning side stone type construction. At the back end, the last section is blocked off with a crosswise slab.

Kernédiec allée couverte

Trip No.203  Entry No.456  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Kernédiec allée couverte is of the arc boutée type construction, and it is one of only eight of this type known. This is where one row of side stones leans up against the other and there are no capstones, rather than the more normal two rows of uprights and horizontal capstones. The chamber is about eight metres in length, and faces eastwards at 085°. The six stones on the northern side are set fairly vertically, while the seven on the southern side lean on to them.

This type of construction saves on stones, but makes a much smaller space inside the chamber. This monument is to be found in a little picnic area besides the road a few kilometres to the south of the village of Riec-sur-Belon, but its a fairly tortuous drive to get to it !

Allée Couverte de Coat Luzuen

Trip No.203  Entry No.457  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Coat Luzuen allée couverte is situated in a field just to the west of the little road running north from the hamlet of Luzuen, and although signposted, it is quite difficult to find, with the last signpost being small and almost hidden, overgrown in a hedge opposite to a farm building.

When I visited this I was not totally sure what it was I was visiting, I could not be sure whether it is the remains of a strangely shaped allée couverte, or perhaps two dolmens, both quite large and opening to the west. Although I know of this as an allée couverte, it is marked on some maps as two dolmens, and as far as I can ascertain from more research, it was a single large allée couverte which has had a section removed from its centre.

The western part of the two sections has a large chamber covered by a massive single capstone 7 metres long by 3 metres wide, and it is easy to stand up inside. The eastern part, which was possibly once joined as the two side walls line up, is not so large, and is only open to the west, in the direction of its neighbour, and has only two sidestones and an endstone, the other side having collapsed.

Ty Corriganet de Coat Menez Guen

Trip No.203  Entry No.458  Date Added: 23rd May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 16th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: From the Coat Luzuen allée couverte, continue on about 800 metres further down the road which peters out into a trackway and descends to the bottom of the valley. Turn left at the bottom, cross the stream, go along the wet track and the Coat-Menez-Guen allée couverte is to be found at the end of the field. Unfortunately when I visited, it was completely inaccessible through a large crop of rape seed.

It is supposedly a superb monument, being a 14 metre long allée couverte of the arc boutée type with some capstones added for good measure. However, all I saw was the capstones ! It took me a lot of effort and time to get here, and unfortunately it was not worth the effort in this state. Its probably a good one to visit in February or something !

Pendreff Alignement

Trip No.203  Entry No.466  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: The Kerfland menhirs are three gorgeous tall slender menhirs standing in a row at the edge of a wood, easily reached down a little signposted footpath from the roadside a couple of kilometres south of Plomeur. They line up almost due north to south, at an alignment of 005° magnetic (in 2005) and are spaced about 5 metres apart from each other.

To me, these are the supermodels of the menhir world, each being over 5 metres tall yet only 30cm thick, and up to 2 m wide, and are very elegantly shaped into curvy features. The southern one is sort of pointing skywards. Unfortunately the central stone has obviously been broken in the past, but is cemented back together in a very reasonable way. It is just a pity that they are a bit overgrown, making pictures difficult, but not too badly.

Dolmen de Penquer-Bloas

Trip No.203  Entry No.468  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 4

Log Text: Although I have seen this described as an allée couverte, it looks to me to be a simple dolmen still mostly within its mound. It is unsure what this monument was originally. It's in a little woodland area, beside the road by an industrial stoneworking site. It suffers badly from neglect, and has lots of rubbish strewn around.

Allée Couverte de Menez Landu

Trip No.203  Entry No.467  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: This looks like a straightforward simple dolmen beside the busy D.785, a kilometre or so southwest of Plomeur. It has a single capstone on top of two side stones, and a large backstone, but it is almost lost within the undergrowth. But it looked a bit to me as if it is the possibly the end of an allée couverte with an end cell, or some other type of passage grave like there are around here.

Tronval Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.463  Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: The Tronval dolmen is found just a hundred metres walk from the Quélarn dolmens parking area, on the opposite side of the road. There are the remains of what appears to be another pair of chambers, this time only a few metres apart. The southwestern one is completely collapsed, while the northwestern has a fallen capstone resting on two sideslabs, with perhaps an entrance passage, and two slabs jutting out sideways. Perhaps these are facing slabs to the front of the cairn ? The ruined chamber also has these side slabs which seem to be a feature round here.

I later found out that these are remains of a type of monument only found in this coastal part of southwest Brittany, and are compartmented dolmens, which had chambers with internal compartment slabs to break up the chamber into sections.