Tumulus de Chateaurenaud

Trip No.203  Entry No.46  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th May 2005

Log Text: Another big obvious wood covered tumulus up on the hills above the village. But to get to this one would have meant quite a long walk from anywhere I could have parked and there was no obvious way to it so I did not bother as there are many others to explore locally.

La Petite Pérotte

Trip No.203  Entry No.47  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: There are several dolmens marked along a ridgetop to the west of the village of Fontenille, so I went for a look. The whole area abounds with tumulus and mounds perched on the hilltops. The map may have only 4 or 5 marked, but there are many more here. As I was parking to go walking along the ridgetop track signposted "Dolmens", A white van parked nearby, and out got a little old man, wondering if I was looking for the dolmens. When I said yes, and he realised I was keen, he went back to his van and got a folder out containing lots of pictures. He told me he was an archaeologist, and collected flints etc. He has thousands, all photographed and catalogued. Flint tools, axes, arrowheads, polished stone tools, some polissoir stones, some copper arrowheads, some pottery, a female goddess icon, through Roman coins and other remains, reight up to a royal seal from the time of Napoleon, all found round here. He was obviously very proud of his collection, and was interested that I was here and perhaps writing a book for the English. It was a pity I couldnt make myself fully understood to him, or him to me, but he was an excellent find ! We agreed that there were many many tomb remains round here, everywhere you looked you could see something, must be well into double figures without even trying.

Remains of a nice dolmen splendidly positioned on top of a ridge, with many other dolmens and tumuli in the vicinity, a couple of kilometres to the southwest of the village of Fontenille in Charente. Walking southwest from the D.61 along the ridgetop trackway signposted "Dolmens", and after about 800 metres you get to the remains of La Petite Pérotte dolmen. A massive capstone, 4 metres long by 2.5m wide and 1.5 metres thick is sitting on top of several smaller support stones, which have been very well shaped into blocks to make a very regularly formed square chamber below. Just to the southeast is another smaller capstone, under which is what seems to be another little chamber. Perhaps this was once part of the entranceway to the chamber proper. It's all still on top of a small mound which has several large stones surrounding it.

La Grosse Pérotte

Trip No.203  Entry No.48  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: There are several dolmens marked along a ridgetop to the west of the village of Fontenille, so I went for a look. The whole area abounds with tumulus and mounds perched on the hilltops. The map may have only 4 or 5 marked, but there are many more here. As I was parking to go walking along the ridgetop track signposted "Dolmens", A white van parked nearby, and out got a little old man, wondering if I was looking for the dolmens. When I said yes, and he realised I was keen, he went back to his van and got a folder out containing lots of pictures. He told me he was an archaeologist, and collected flints etc. He has thousands, all photographed and catalogued. Flint tools, axes, arrowheads, polished stone tools, some polissoir stones, some copper arrowheads, some pottery, a female goddess icon, through Roman coins and other remains, reight up to a royal seal from the time of Napoleon, all found round here. He was obviously very proud of his collection, and was interested that I was here and perhaps writing a book for the English. It was a pity I couldnt make myself fully understood to him, or him to me, but he was an excellent find ! We agreed that there were many many tomb remains round here, everywhere you looked you could see something, must be well into double figures without even trying.

About 50 metres further along the ridgetop trackway from La Petite Pérotte dolmen, is a second dolmen sitting on top of its mound, La Grosse Pérotte dolmen, and there is much more of it remaining. It has one of the biggest capstones I have seen till now, more than 5 metres by 5 metres and up to 2.5 metres thick, sitting on top of an exceptionally well made rectangular chamber, lined with stone slabs. Unfortunately the capstone has split, and collapsed at one corner. As with its neighbour, there are many large stones surrounding the remains of the mound. The main chamber is about 4 metres by 3 metres, and was once made with impeccably well fitted and squared slabs, more like a modern stone sided vault than an ancient dolmen, but unfortunately many of them are now collapsing under the weight of the enormous capstone, no longer supported by the mound around it. One of the stones has the remains of a carving in relief, which has been broken. All we are left with is two smoothed shapes, which look to me like a pair of legs, but I have since seen that they are thought to be hooks. On another of the stones is carved an axe, but I did not notice this. Outside of the main chamber are more stone slabs, perhaps the remains of secondary chambers, or more likely the remains of an entrance passageway. There was once a signpost here, but it has now been broken and gone missing. Just looking around from this place, there are mounds to be seen on hilltops everywhere you look. I must go and explore a few more of them.

Maison de la Vieille Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.49  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Further on along the track and to the south of where it crosses a perpendicular trackway can be seen a little wooded area inside a cultivated field. This is just where I had seen the dolmen symbol on the 1:25000 ign map I had earlier looked at in the shop so I went for a look. Having crossed the field to the little copse I found a bramble and bush covered mound the vegetation almost too thick to penetrate. But inside this can be seen a broken capstone about 3 by 2 metres and 0.6 metres thick. There is no obvious chamber or side slabs to be seen underneath but its all a bit of a jumble.

Dolmen dit la Motte-de-la-Garde

Trip No.203  Entry No.50  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: A bit further south along the trackway is a suspicious looking bit of woodland at the top of a hillock so I went to have a look. On venturing inside there is a socking great big stone mound perhaps 6 metres high and about 50 metres by 30 metres in dimensions. Walking further into the wood there are a few big stones and then Da Daaahhh ! A chamber which can be got down into. Its about 2 metres square with a massively thick crude capstone perched on top of well made side slabs hidden amongst the trees.

A fantastic find. I knew nothing of this place before I came (there’s nothing on even the ign 1:25000 map) and just followed my nose. But beware the whole of the chamber is not covered and bits of the sides are falling in. Be very careful not to fall in from above as I nearly did.

La Grande Motte

Trip No.203  Entry No.52  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 16th May 2005

Log Text: On the hill high above Fontenille can be seen another tree covered mound. This one was really tempting to go and walk to but it was a long way from anywhere I could drive to so I managed to keep away. Pity I didn’t get a good photograph as from certain angles its most impressive looking.

Ligné tumulus

Trip No.203  Entry No.53  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Yet another great big round tumulus within a wooded area in the middle of a field. The mound is approximately round about 30 metres in diameter and 5 metres high inside the middle of which is a dug out chamber which is all falling in and not in a very good state. There is an obvious entrance passage as well which has all fallen in or been dug out. There are still several side slabs in place in both the chamber and the entrance passage and indeed there seems to be a couple of capstones still in position on the entrance couloir particularly where it meets the chamber.

This monument is in need of some TLC and could perhaps be a real cracker. It’s hard to judge these burial mounds for condition. Is it all a bit of a wreck with nothing much to see therefore getting a low score or is it still nearly all in place thus getting a very high score ? After all a chamber still within its cairn is surely better than a few stones of a ruined chamber alone ?

Dolmen de la Boucharderie

Trip No.203  Entry No.55  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Charente (16))
Visited: Yes on 16th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: This was a bit of a bugger to find what with road building schemes and diversions taking me miles away and then very narrow lanes with tight corners and no passing places through Cognac vineyard country. There was nothing obvious so I parked and asked people at the farm who gladly pointed me to some trees in the middle of a freshly planted field of maize. “C’est sous l’arbre un tres jolie photo”. I was assured it was OK for me to walk through the field to go and have a look so carefully I did.

Well hidden under the trees (elder hawthorn and a big walnut tree) is a nice little dolmen with a rectangular chamber about 3 metres by 2 metres with a single capstone on top about a metre thick. There are about 6 support slabs still in place and a few more broken or fallen. Its well liked by rabbits and other local wildlife and the chamber is absolutely full of walnut shells and sweetcorn remains.

Dolmen de Peyrelevade (Paussac)

Trip No.203  Entry No.57  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This is a nice little dolmen in a pleasant open bit of land with lots of orchids butterflies and lizards at the time of my visit on a sunny May morning. Its just off the D93 between St Vivien and Paussac 50 metres down a little track which is signposted from the road.

The dolmen consists of a strangely layered dark reddish brown/black capstone sitting on 5 limestone supports about 2 metres off the ground covering a chamber of dimensions approximately 3m by 2m. What looks like a further fallen capstone and an extra chamber is at the western end and there are lots of big stones around. Perhaps it was once a much bigger or multiple chambered type of thing.

Peyre d'Ermale

Trip No.203  Entry No.58  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Marked on my ign map as a menhir but signposted along a track from the road as Dolmen I parked and walked to see what I could find.

What I eventually found after about a kilometre walk was a strange lump of natural rock which has been shaped has a squarish cut out in one side and a round basin to the south with little channels cut in the surrounding rocks to presumably collect water.

I have no idea what this is meant to be and indeed no idea whether this is the proper megalithic remains! Later I find out that this is indeed the remains of a megalithic burial chamber (dolmen a bit incorrect perhaps). And thet there is also a menhir nearby. I wonder where that was then.

La Pierre Levée (Brantôme)

Trip No.203  Entry No.59  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: This dolmen stands on a sort of village green thing just on the eastern outskirts of the delightful old town of Brantôme about 50 metres north of the D78 road. A single large capstone about 4 metres by 2 metres sits on 3 (or is it 4) support stones with the help of some modern building work about 2 metres off the ground. A couple of other stones remain fallen or broken nearby.

Peyre Levade (Condat)

Trip No.203  Entry No.60  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Couldn't find on 17th May 2005

Log Text: A couple of kilometres east of Brantôme is marked a dolmen on my ign map but despite trying hard to find it I saw no signs of anything and there was nowhere at all to park on very small country lanes to get out and have a proper look.

Beauroulet Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.61  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: A 4 metres by 2.5 metre capstone of strange dark reddish brown/black rock sits slightly off the ground on top of some fallen grey limestone support stones. Its in a field just opposite a factory near a roadside restaurant at a junction with the busy D939 Brantôme to Périgueux road. Despite being in such a busy noisy and unsightly place it somehow felt calm as I sat here on the stone eating my lunch.

Dolmen de Palus

Trip No.203  Entry No.63  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: In a field of Barley just beside the country lane from Douchapt to Ségonzac near the hamlet of Margot can be found the remains of this dolmen. Its not much more than a collection of four large brownish black rocks which I would guess are a capstone and three fallen supports. There’s still enough room underneath for the local wildlife to enjoy its shelter despite being ploughed right up to the stones.

Peyrebrune (Seyssac)

Trip No.203  Entry No.64  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: A kilometre or so down a rough track called Chasse de Pierre Brune from the D109 near Segonzac can be found the remains of this rectangular chambered dolmen. The chamber has dimensions of about 3 m by 2 m and made with well positioned stone blocks. There is a capstone which only covers the western end.

It’s a pity about the chestnut trees growing in it.

Pierre de Nautours

Trip No.203  Entry No.65  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: I wasn’t expecting this. I was just getting caught up in rush hour traffic on the outskirts of Périgueux when I saw this large brownish black megalith standing beside a busy roundabout. There was a bus stop conveniently right by it at which I was able to stop and have a decent look although I didn’t spend long here.

I assume its been moved here from Combe du Puy Gauthier wherever that may be and it was dedicated as a monument to somebody whose name I didn’t remember.

Pierre Plantée (Lisle)

Trip No.203  Entry No.62  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: As I was driving south along the D78 road coming into Lisle I saw a sign saying Pierre Plantée and there was a stone about a metre high stood just by the roadside. I cant be sure whether this is the actual Pierre Plantée referred to or indeed whether it is ancient but it isn’t new !

Abri de Laugerie-Basse

Trip No.203  Entry No.66  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Yes on 17th May 2005. My rating: Access 4

Log Text: Just to the northwest of Les Eyzies on the west bank of the river Vézère is found the ancient cliff settlement of Laugerie Basse. Gisements and shelters in the cliff face which have been inhabited since Cro Magnon man right up to this day.

Grotte de Grand Roc

Trip No.203  Entry No.67  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 17th May 2005. My rating: Access 4

Log Text: Don’t know whether theres any prehistoric stuff in here but its supposed to have lots of natural wonders. In the same cliff face as Laugerie Basse.

Gisement du Pataud

Trip No.203  Entry No.68  Date Added: 5th Apr 2020
Site Type: Cave or Rock Shelter Country: France (Aquitaine:Dordogne (24))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 17th May 2005. My rating: Access 4

Log Text: There’s a museum built into the cliff face here and a covered area which looks like some sort of exhibition of an archaeological dig. Its between Cro Magnon and the Les Eyzies museum halfway up the cliff face.