Prehistory, tales and legends of the megaliths

Granite monuments dating back to time immemorial, megaliths are emblematic of Brittany. Tinted with tales and legends, these relics to be discovered in the heart of a forest or at the bend in a path are an integral part of Breton folklore and Destination Saint-Malo Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel.

Their share of mystery, the very origin of their existence fascinate.

The megaliths come from a heritage that predates the Celtic character of Brittany, and yet from generation to generation the transmission of stories continues, where a part of reality and a hint of the imaginary are mixed.

a Historic Monument is unveiled The Fairy House in the Mesnil forest at Mesnil Roc'h

A remarkable testimony to prehistory, the covered walkway impresses with its dimensions, 14 metres long and 41 stones weighing between 5 and 40 tonnes!

Two of these stones each bear four half-spheres of bas-relief. They show the symbols of female divinities testifying to the introduction of the cult of the ‘Great Goddess’ in the region during the third millennium BC. Many legends about “flying damselflies” have their origins here, and the many interpretive walks and trails sometimes lead you to a tree where you can catch a glimpse of one…

The Menhirs the Champ Dolent, the Pierre longue and the Roche-Buquey megaliths

In Dol-de-Bretagne, the menhir du Champ Dolent, is one of the tallest in Brittany at 13 metres.

A legend is still told here today, alluding to the battle that took place in Brittany in 560 AD between Clotaire I, King of the Franks and his son Chramme. Find all the legends of the Menhir du Champ Dolent, here.

The Menhir de la Pierre Longue in Cuguen is recognisable by the cross that perches atop it, an attempt to Christianise this pagan site.

At Pleine-Fougères, the Roche-Buquey megalith bears witness to the fact that the site has been inhabited for 5,000 years. There is a popular saying that “when Roche-Buquey “falls, the end of the world will come”…

The Neolithic site at Lillemer

The Neolithic site of Lillemer

The village of Lillemer is located between the White Marsh and the Black Marsh to the west of Mont-Dol. Remains from the Neolithic period, dating back to 4,000 BC, have been uncovered during archaeological digs carried out since 2001.

Thanks to the damp peaty soil, the remains unearthed are in an exceptional state of preservation. A monumental entrance is among the discoveries, presuming the existence of a Neolithic enclosure system tiered over the Lillemer mound. Thousands of lithics, ceramics and domestic objects, as well as bones from an adult burial, have been unearthed.

The excavations carried out in the village have given rise to a Lillemer Archaeological Interpretation Space. The area is open to visitors free of charge, at the same times as the town hall.

©Espace d'interprétation archéologique de Lillemer|©StephaneMaillard

Archaeological treasures

At Mont-Dol the first inhabitants were mammoths!

Mammoths at the summit

110,000 years ago, Neanderthal hunters chose this spot to build their shelters and hunt.
The first signs of human occupation and one of the largest Palaeolithic deposits in France were discovered in 1873 when quarrymen were mining the granite. The scale of the deposit was exceptional: remains of around fifty mammoths, twelve woolly rhinoceroses, around fifty horses, eight large megaceros deer, ten reindeer, four wolves, a bear, a lion as well as flints, Mousterian points, scrapers, etc…