Phil Watson
@frenchmegaliths
Field work in Iraq for 5 years, 34 years curating ancient Egyptian, Near Eastern, Pre-Columbian American and Prehistoric antiquities. Since retiring have been publishing my collection of old French postcards of Megaliths (see pinned post).
The imposing granite menhir of Conguel-Goulvarc’h in Quiberon (Morbihan) is over 5m tall. Card by Levy in Paris 1910s. #StandingStoneSunday.
This view of the passage grave on the SW corner of the alignments of Kermario in Carnac (Morbihan), taken from the bend in the road, had been issued by local archaeologist and photographer Zacharie Le Rouzic by 1903 with several reprintings into the early 1930s.
The menhir of La Pierre Aiguë in Égriselles-le-Bocage (Yonne) is 3m tall and 1.6m wide at the base of the broad faces. Card by Ismael in Sens c.1905.
The allée couverte of La Justice in Épône (Yvelines) was damaged in C18 and only 5m of the chamber survives with 2 capstones on 5 orthostats and a 3rd slipped capstone. 7 other disturbed orthostats suggest that the chamber was originally at least 12m long.
La Pierre Levée in St-Paterne-Racan (Indre-et-Loire) is a slab-like menhir 2.5m tall but only 0.5m thick. In folklore it was known as “Pierre qui a poussé”, therefore one of several menhirs which were thought to have grown like a plant. Card by Neurdein in Paris c.1909.
In C19 on bank holidays like today villagers had a party at the dolmen angevin of La Frébouchère in Le Bernard (Vendée); the elderly sat inside drinking wine while younger ones danced on top of the 8x4m capstone. Card by Dando-Berry pre-1904. #TombTuesday.
In European folklore stone circles were often explained as young women petrified for dancing on a Sunday. Such is the case of the double cromlech of Les Demoiselles in Langon (Ille-et-Vilaine). Card by Lacroix in Châteaubriant c.1905.
The 7.5m tall menhir of Kerangallou in Trégunc (Finistère) was clearly once in a popular meeting place but is now on private land I believe. This card by Le Tendre is from c.1905 but the negative was probably taken pre-1904. #StandingStoneSunday.
The allée couverte of La Loge au Loup in Trédion (Morbihan) is of the type arc-bouté where the orthostats lean inwards to form a chamber with a tent-like inverted V-shaped profile. Only one capstone survives. Card by Henri Laurent in Port-Louis.
This c.1912 card by Maurice Tesson in Limoges shows a winding path through some of the smaller menhirs in the east of the alignments of Kermario in Carnac (Morbihan).
The dolmen of Champ-Vermeil in Bidon (Ardèche) is one of the biggest and best preserved of over 350 dolmens in the département. It has a single capstone on 5 orthostats. Card by René Vincenti pre-1904.
The menhir of La Verziau de Gargantua in Bois-lès-Pargny (Aisne) stands 5m tall. In one tradition it was a whetstone on which the giant sharpened his scythe, in another a piece of grit from his clog which he tossed away. Card by Barnaud c.1905.
This c.1905 view of the allée couverte of La Pierre Folle in Montguyon (Charente-Maritime) shows the 30-ton capstone over the back of the chamber with the smaller one behind; the stones on the left are from a 2nd dolmen that was added at a later date. #TombTuesday.
This card by L.B. shows the trilith and menhir in the Square du dolmen in St-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) in 1904 or earlier. Often regarded as a folly the slabs of the trilith are almost certainly from a ruined dolmen and the menhir from a site 2.5km NW; it was re-erected in the later 1920s.
There are 4 menhirs near the village of Perfaux in St-Vran (Côtes-d’Armor). This one is known as La Grande Perrière and stands 4.9m tall. Card by Hamonic in St-Brieuc c.1909. #StandingStoneSunday.
There are 2 menhirs near Kergavan in Poullan-sur-Mer (Finistère), one on the coast at 3m tall and another in a hedgerow further inland at 4m tall. It is difficult to be certain which one is shown on this card by Levy in Paris, possibly the taller inland one?
The alignments of Sainte-Barbe in Plouharnel (Morbihan) originally had at least 8 rows of menhirs running for at least 500m but now less than 30 survive scattered among the fields. This c.1905 card by Neurdein in Paris shows 3 of them.
The dolmen of La Madeleine in Carnac (Morbihan) is the scant remains of a passage grave. One massive capstone survives which has collapsed into the chamber which was paved with large slabs. Card by Laussedat in Châteaudun using a negative by Le Rouzic pre-1904.
The menhir of La Pierre Enlevée in Vaumort (Yonne) is made from naturally pock-marked rock and stands 3m tall. It was said that the Devil would perch on top and play music for people to dance around it. Card c.1905 by a publisher whose name is illegible.
The simple dolmen of La Pierre Procureuse in St-Cyr-la-Rosière (Orne) had 3 orthostats 2 of which have collapsed so the 4x3m capstone lies at an angle suitable for having a quick nap during a cycle ride. #TombTuesday.
The dolmen of La Grotte des Fées in St-Antoine-du-Rocher (Indre-et-Loire) has 3 large capstones resting on 3 broad orthostats on each side and a terminal slab forming a 10x3.5m chamber. One tradition said it was built in one night by 3 girls (fairies?).
The commune of Avrillé (Vendée) has many menhirs the tallest of which is Camp de César in the bourg itself suitably also known as Le Roi des Menhirs; it stands 7m above ground and 1.7m below with an estimated weight of 85 tons. #StandingStoneSunday. Card by Robin c.1905.
The allée couverte on Ile-Grande in Pleumeur-Bodou (Côtes-d’Armor) has 2 large capstones covering a chamber over 8m long but only 1.5m wide and 1m high. It is built from slabs of local granite with kerbstones to support the cairn (on the left of this 1905 card by Y.B.).
The menhir at Kerampeulven in Berrien (Finistère) is a little under 6m tall. This pre-1904 view by Andrieu in Morlaix was clearly taken on laundry day.
This is the passage grave of La Table des Marchands in Locmariaquer (Morbihan) before restoration in the 1980s. Roman and later quarrying had removed much of the cairn for building material. Card by Waron in St-Brieuc 1905 or earlier.
This c.1905 card by Waron in St-Brieuc is mis-captioned as the giant of Menec; it is the tall broad pointed menhir among the taller ones at the western end of the alignments of Kermario.
La Pierre aux Fées in Reignier (Haute-Savoie) has a 4.9x4.5m capstone on 3 orthostats and is one of only 2 surviving dolmens in the département. It was built by a single fairy overnight. Card by Pittier in Annecy pre-1904. #TombTuesday.
This is the largest of 7 polissoirs at Beau-Moulin in Souppes-sur-Loing (Seine-et-Marne) and has over 90 grooved scars where stone axes had been smoothed and polished. Card by Coffin in Moret c.1910.
The menhir of La Pierre Fitte in St-Cyr (Vienne) is a thin fissured slab 3.5m wide on the broad faces but only 50cm thick. It stands 4.5m above the ground but in 1868 someone claims to have dug for 3m without finding the base. Card by Arambourou in Chatellerault c.1905. #StandingStoneSunday.
The passage grave of La Madeleine near Kerbourg in St-Lyphard (Loire-Atlantique) is 8m long and gradually rises in height towards the back of the chamber. It was said to be inhabited by “little mysterious beings” who only went out at night. Card by Vassellier in Nantes c.1905.