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Dolmen de Menez-Veil
Trip No.203 Entry No.459 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 5
Dolmen de Menez-Veil submitted by thecaptain on 10th Dec 2006. The Dolmen de Menez-Veil can be found right by the roadside near a roundabout at the entrance to the village of Lesconil, on a little tended grassy area.
It looks like it might be somebodies garden.
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Log Text: The Rue Jules Ferry dolmen is a strange one. There's a little capstone sitting at a funnyangle on three support stones, on top of a stone mound, which is sort of walled in and held together by stone slabs around the outside. I can only assume that it's all been very rearranged at some point. It can be found right by the roadside near a roundabout at the entrance to the village of Lesconil, on a little tended grassy area. It looks like it might be somebodies garden.
Quélarn menhir
Trip No.203 Entry No.465 Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
Quélarn menhir submitted by thecaptain on 10th Dec 2006. Just to the south of the Quélarn burial cairns is a small menhir, about 2.5 metres tall.
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Log Text: Just to the south of the Quélarn burial cairns is a small menhir, about 2.5 metres tall. It is assumed that the two are related. These have been dated to the middle neolithic.
Menhir des Droits de l'Homme
Trip No.203 Entry No.473 Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
Menhir des Droits de l'Homme submitted by thecaptain on 19th Dec 2006. This large menhir was erected here and inscribed in 1840 to commemorate the shipwreck of the "Droits de l'Homme" in 1797 with the loss of around 600 lives.
The stone is a real menhir moved here from elsewhere. It's next to a car park besides this phenomenal beach, with the surf pounding in all around, creating its own fog !
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Log Text: This is a large menhir erected here in 1840 to commemorate the shipwreck of the "Droits de l'Homme" in 1797 with the loss of around 600 lives. The stone used was once a real menhir moved to here from elsewhere. It's at the edge of a car park besides this phenomenal beach, with the surf pounding in all around, creating its own fog !
Penhors stèle
Trip No.203 Entry No.471 Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 3 Access 5
Penhors stèle submitted by thecaptain on 21st Dec 2006. This fantastic sculpted and grooved (cannelée) iron age stèle can be seen in the front garden of a home at Penhors, and is a good 4 metres tall.
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Log Text: This is a fantastic grooved and sculpted (cannelée) iron age stèle I saw in a front garden of a home I was passing at Penhors. It is almost perfectly shaped, round with grooves running up the sides, and tapered towards the top, which is a good 4 metres above the ground. This superb stèle was found fallen in a nearby hedge and re-erected in the garden. The granite from which it is made has originally come from at least 5 kilometres away.
Quélarn Dolmens
Trip No.203 Entry No.464 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 4 Access 5
Quélarn dolmens submitted by thecaptain on 10th Dec 2006. Part of the informative noticeboard at this interesting site, showing the details of these Compartmented Dolmens.
Much of the siteplan can be seen, although I have chopped off the right hand end.
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Log Text: The Quélarn dolmens are fairly easily found as they are signposted a couple of kilometres to the west of Plobannalec, and they have their own little parking space and picnic area. Although mostly destroyed in the middle ages when it was used as a quarry, this massive site has been excavated and restored, and got an explanatory noticeboard. These have been dated to the middle neolithic.
These are a type of monument only found in this coastal part of southwest Brittany, and are compartmented dolmens, which had massive chambers with internal compartment slabs to break up the chamber into sections, and to hold up the roof. This was all once a massive monument in a 50 metre long mound, running east to west, with six of the compartmented chambers within it, all facing to the south, as opposed to the other two I have seen previously. The basic layout of the structure can be seen, but only the large side slabs remain, making a sort of ground plan. Only one capstone remains in place for the whole thing. Some of the chambers would have been massive. The largest one at the west measures about 10 metres by 8 metres rectangular, and is more like a 9 roomed house than a burial chamber !
It is nice to see it all kept clear of undergrowth and presented like this, but the mechanical clearance cutters used are damaging the stones, many of which have been scraped and cracked by the cutters.
Kerfuens Dolmens
Trip No.203 Entry No.462 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 2 Ambience 3 Access 5
Kerfuens dolmens submitted by thecaptain on 14th Dec 2006. A few hundred metres to the west of the Plobannalec sports centre can be found the remains of two more dolmens.
The eastern one is not in a very good condition.
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Log Text: Just a few hundred metres to the west of the sports centre can be found the remains of two more little dolmens sat inside small mounds, which are kept in a little cleared area for all to see.
As for the Kervadol dolmens, they are about ten metres from each other in an east to west sense, but open to face the north. The western one is in quite good condition, the eastern not so. The chambers are about 2 metres long, and 1 metre wide, with side slabs and around them what looks like a cairn of stones held in place with side slabs. Again, it is hard to tell whether these would have been in separate mounds, or one big one. I feel it is probably one mound with two additional parts.
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.
Corn-ar-Palud
Trip No.203 Entry No.472 Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4
Corn-ar-Palud submitted by thecaptain on 9th Mar 2007. In the dunes near the edge of the beach at the almost deserted centre of Audierne Bay, can be found the remains of a cairn with a few large rocks to be seen scattered around in it.
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Log Text: Beside the little road running along the coast around the almost deserted centre of Audierne Bay, just on the edge of the beach in the dunes, can be found the remains of a cairn with a few large rocks to be seen scattered around in it. Looking closer at some of these larger rocks, there is evidence of a chamber underneath one capstone. Obviously once upon a time this was a fairly complex place, probably a cairn with several dolmenic chambers within it, similar to many other places in this far southwestern tip of Brittany.
This really is a splendid place, with the surf rolling in creating its own mist and covering the land in clouds. Amazing.
Pors Poulhan allée couverte
Trip No.203 Entry No.474 Date Added: 25th May 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5
Pors Poulhan allée couverte submitted by thecaptain on 16th May 2009. The information board at Pors Poulhan allée couverte.
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Log Text: On a headland overlooking the Baie D'Audierne, this allée couverte is in a tremendous position. The 12 metre long passage is quite large and wide at almost 2 metres in width, and almost as high, and lines up to the east at 100°.
Built before the year 3000BC, it has been used almost continually for one purpose or another until the present day. Excavations have shown it to have not only been constructed and used by neolithic flint workers, but also for burials in the bronze age, iron age, and by the Gallo-Romans. In the middle ages it was used as a quarry for building stone, and since then it has been used as a military look out post, and as such was blown up during the second world war.
Restoration was made in about 1990, with it now in a nicely kept little grassy area with benches and an information board. Two capstones are in place, as is a lot of floor paving, but the unusual thing for around here is that it still has many of the stones from its surrounding peristalith. This is a nice place to sit and ponder.
Presqu'île de la Torche
Trip No.203 Entry No.470 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 5 Access 4
Presqu'île de la Torche submitted by thecaptain on 18th May 2009. The remains of what would no doubt have once been a magnificent monument, is positioned on top of this little headland, almost an island, sticking dramatically out into the wild Atlantic Ocean, and surrounded by magnificent surf beaches.
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Log Text: The remains of what would no doubt have once been a magnificent monument, positioned on top of this little, almost an island, headland, sticking dramatically out into the wild Atlantic Ocean, and surrounded by magnificent surf beaches.
The central passage is still 16 metres in length, running up and over the top of the mound, curving as it goes, and opening to the east. At the west end there is an upright end stone. On the top of the mound, a few metres in from the end stone, are two side chambers each about 3 metres by 1.5 metres, one of which still has capstones in place, although it is all much ruined. Considering the concrete all around, for wartime bunkers and lookout posts, and for tourist paths and observation tables, it is surprising anything has survived here - that so much has is incredible. There is possible some remnants of a second chamber up here too.
The most wonderful thing about this place is the situation. The surf is crashing in all around the end of the point, and the waves rolling by on both sides of the headland in this surfers paradise. Its a fantastic place to sit and watch the waves go by. I love it. It makes me want to go surfing again. I bet I could still do it. They are even playing Camel's "Snow Goose" in the bar at the car park. Now if that isn't meaningful......
Kervignon Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.460 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 5
Kervignon dolmen submitted by minteddy on 9th Aug 2006. Kervignon dolmen
This dolmen is behind the sports ground in Plobannalec on the road to Lesconil. The photograph was taken Monday 31 July 2006 at about 15:30 French time in the pouring rain
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Log Text: This little dolmen, with a capstone sitting on three side slabs is to be found round the back of the local sports centre. The capstone is nicely rain worn on the top, and sits at a jaunty angle. It perhaps once had an entry corridor as the side stones are smaller at one end, and I believe that this is in fact the remains of what was once a compartmented dolmen, with much of the rest of it destroyed.
Kerugou dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.469 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 4 Access 5
Kerugou dolmen submitted by minteddy on 5th Dec 2006. 3 - 4 km east of Troenen in Penmarch south west Finisterre.
View from west looking east down the length of the passage. The concrete pillar supporing the cap stone has gone.
On mappy.com enter place Kerugou, postcode 29120. View aerial photo at street level and about 200 metres north west of post code address (on aerial photo it is at south east corner of mini triangular village green) you'll see dolmen by different colour in field to north west of mini triangular village green.
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Log Text: Kerugou dolmen is an interesting one, which can be found just inside a field beside a small road and signposted. It has a large compartmented chamber at the back, western end, with a long central passageway opening up to the east, at orientation 097°. The central passage is about 9 metres long and up to 2m in width away from the entrance. The two side chambers align along the back wall, and are each 3m by 2.5m, with some massive side slabs. Unfortunately, there is only one capstone still in place, and that is on the entrance passageway, but it's a nice monument to discover. Much of its mound is still in place.
Kervadol Dolmens
Trip No.203 Entry No.461 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 5
Kervadol dolmens submitted by minteddy on 4th Dec 2006. You can see the two dolmen together in this view
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Log Text: This is the remains of two little dolmens about 10 metres away from each other, not far from the sports fields. I could not be sure as to whether they were once in different mounds, or if they would have both been in the same one. Both have similar chambers, with a capstone sitting on a couple of side stones each side, and facing south.
The eastern of the two is in much better condition, and the capstone is in its proper position. That on the western dolmen has fallen to one side. Both of these dolmens have a strange feature which is a large square slab lined hollow beside them on the eastern side, or perhaps on both sides. Would these have been side chambers ? There is no sign of any capstones, and any entrance would have had to have been round the back. It's all very odd. These slabs are perhaps a bit like the stones around the Lesconil dolmen, except that the mound is outside of these rather than on the inside.
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.
Tréboul menhir
Trip No.203 Entry No.487 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5
Tréboul menhir submitted by thecaptain on 21st Jan 2007. The two metre tall Tréboul menhir is found in the outskirts of the town of Douarnenez, beside a roundabout near to the old lavoirs.
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Log Text: The two metre tall Tréboul menhir is found in the outskirts of the town of Douarnenez, beside a roundabout near to the old lavoirs.
Menez Lié Dolmen
Trip No.203 Entry No.488 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3
Menez Lié dolmen submitted by thecaptain on 22nd Jan 2007. This little dolmen sits on the south western slopes of Menez Hom, seen in the background.
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Log Text: This is a pleasant little dolmen on the south western slopes of Menez Hom. It has a 2.5m by 2m capstone sitting on one large backstone and three smaller side stones. At first view from the road it looks lost in the middle of a field of wheat, but there is a footpath to it around the edge of the field, and a little clearing is left around it.
Dolmen de la Chapelle Sainte-Théodore
Trip No.203 Entry No.476 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
Dolmen de la Chapelle Sainte-Théodore submitted by thecaptain on 31st Jul 2009. Remains of a little Bronze Age dolmen/stone cist (coffre) are found near to the Chapelle St-Theodore, at the road junction just to the west.
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Log Text: Remains of a little Bronze Age dolmen/stone cist (coffre) are found near to the Chapelle St Theodore, at the road junction just to the west. It's only about 1.5 by 1 metre in size, but the stone cover sits on top of a couple of supports, which in turn are on top of a cist type arrangement in a little mound.
Luguenez menhir
Trip No.203 Entry No.483 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4
Luguenez menhir submitted by theCaptain on 25th Jan 2010. About three metres in height, this nicely shaped menhir is getting lost in the hedges.
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Log Text: More than three metres in height, this nicely shaped menhir is getting lost in the hedges of the little lane which runs to the coast behind and to the north of the farm. Not far from here are superb views over the Baie de Duarnenez and the wonderful cliffs all around, including the cliff castle of Kastell Koz just to the east.
Kastell Koz
Trip No.203 Entry No.484 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 4
Kastell Koz submitted by theCaptain on 25th Jan 2010. This is a superb cliff castle, made on the beautiful headland of the Pointe de Beuzec jutting north into the Baie de Duarnenez
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Log Text: This is a superb cliff castle, made on the beautiful headland of the Pointe de Beuzec jutting north into the Baie de Duarnenez. It is defended on its southern side from the mainland with several rows of banks and ditches. The views from here are superb.
Chapelle de Lannourec stèle
Trip No.203 Entry No.481 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5
Chapelle de Lannourec stèle submitted by theCaptain on 21st Dec 2010. The octagonal shaped Iron Age granite stèle seen here in its setting below the Chapelle de Lannourec.
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Log Text: There is an octagonal shaped Iron Age granite stèle about 2 metres tall which can be found just below the Chapelle de Lannourec, and by the springs. It has a large groove cut down one side.
Just below the Chapelle de Lannourec, are several springs and wells. This is obviously a very old sacred place, with its remaining sprngs, and stèle to be seen, as well as the Chapel.
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage cairns
Trip No.203 Entry No.477 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage cairns submitted by theCaptain on 18th Jun 2012. A couple of large cairns can be found, the footpath goes right over the top of one, but nothing else can be seen due to all the gorse and bracken covering everything here.
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Log Text: On the ridge to the southeast of the Chapelle de Notre Dame de Bon Voyage is a large cairn, which I am lead to believe contains remains of a large compartmented burial chamber. A large cairn can be found, a footpath goes right over the top of it, but nothing else can be seen due to all the gorse and bracken covering everything here. It is possible that there are several more cairns to be found around here.
Lescoff Village menhir
Trip No.203 Entry No.478 Date Added: 26th May 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 18th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5
Lescoff Village menhir submitted by theCaptain on 18th Jun 2012. Not far off the main road through the village of Lescoff, just up Impasse du Menhir, can be found this poor menhir which is incorporated into the garden wall of the adjacent house.
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Log Text: Not far off the main road through the village of Lescoff, just up Impasse du Menhir, can be found this poor menhir which is incorporated into the garden wall of the adjacent house. It's nearly 3 metres high and 2 metres wide, but it is seen to be splitting at its base.