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Menhirs and dolmensLegendary stones

Menhirs and dolmens of Brittany: a journey to the heart of prehistory

In the land of pink (and grey!) granite, the Breton moors are dotted with strange stones steeped in mystery and legend. Discover the menhirs and dolmens of Brittany, the fascinating megaliths that populate the landscape of the Pink Granite Coast.
Brittany is one of Europe’s richest regions for megaliths. So, at the bend of a path, on an island or in the middle of the forest, these thousand-year-old remains erected by Neolithic man, steeped in mystery and legend, are a unique heritage for prehistory enthusiasts to discover, and will delight children for a game of hide-and-seek with the korrigans.
Explore their history, legends and cultural significance.

Brittany’s megaliths

Witnesses to a mysterious past in the heart of prehistory

Brittany is dotted with thousands of megaliths, mysterious stone constructions erected by our ancestors. Menhirs reaching for the sky, dolmens housing burial sites, covered walkways leading to the afterlife… These megalithic monuments, among the oldest in Europe, offer a fascinating journey back in time to a complex and fascinating civilization that shaped the Breton landscape over 3,000 years ago.

What is a megalith?

The term “megalith” literally means “large stone”. These monuments are made up of blocks of rough stone, sometimes weighing several dozen tonnes, assembled without the aid of mortar. The main categories of megaliths are :

Menhirs: simple upright stones, often large in size.
Dolmens: stone tables supported by other stones, forming a kind of chamber.
Covered alleys: stone-lined corridors, often covered by an earthen mound.

Riddles to decipher

More than just tombs

Why did Neolithic man build these megaliths? In part, this remains a mystery! Long considered as simple collective burials, recent research suggests that megaliths also had social, religious and astronomical functions. Their precise orientation and strategic positioning in the landscape testify to an in-depth knowledge of the sky and cosmic cycles.

Between places of worship and legends

Far from the spectacular alignments of Carnac, the Pink Granite Coast is home to more intimate megalithic sites, often hidden away in secret corners. These megaliths, sometimes adorned with parietal sculptures, bear witness to the religious beliefs and practices of our ancestors. The legends surrounding Brittany’s megaliths are deeply rooted in Celtic beliefs. These peoples, who inhabited the region for centuries, attributed supernatural powers to the megaliths, associating them with their gods and ancestors.

Houses of the Korrigans

Many legends surround these standing stones. It is said that the korrigans, those mischievous little creatures, hold their wild dances here. Brittany’s menhirs and dolmens are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for fantastic tales and stories.

Menhirs and dolmens: a giant’s technique

Erecting these imposing monuments required complex social organization and mastery of the techniques involved in lifting and moving stone blocks. Megaliths bear witness to a society capable of mobilizing substantial human resources and successfully completing long-term projects.
The construction of megaliths remains a mystery, but archaeologists have put forward several hypotheses. These immense stones were transported for miles, sometimes over rough terrain, using a rudimentary lifting and pulling system.

Discover the tales and legends between dolmens and menhirs

Megaliths have had a profound impact on the imagination of Breton artists. They have exploited their mysterious nature in painting, sculpture and literature.

Remarkable megaliths

of the Pink Granite Coast

Among the many megalithic sites on the Côte de Granit Rose, the following stand out:

The Saint-Uzec menhir in Pleumeur-Bodou, the highest in the area at 7 meters, topped by a cross and 17th-century sculptures.
The Brohet covered walkway in Beffou, one of the longest in Brittany at 18 metres long.
The dolmen of the Chapelle des Sept-Saints, a corridor dolmen that serves as the floor of the chapel’s south transept.

Why visit the megaliths?

Discover a unique heritage: Megaliths bear exceptional witness to Neolithic civilization.
Explore magnificent landscapes: Megaliths are often set in remarkable natural environments.
Stimulate your imagination: Megaliths are a source of inspiration for legends and fantastic tales.

A journey through time

The menhirs and dolmens of the Pink Granite Coast are treasures of Breton heritage.
They offer a fascinating journey through the civilizations that have shaped this exceptional landscape.

A heritage worth preserving

Brittany’s menhirs and dolmens are fragile relics that attract thousands of visitors every year, underlining the importance of the region’s megalithic heritage for tourism.
However, this influx of tourists raises conservation issues, as it can weaken these thousand-year-old monuments. It is therefore essential to reconcile the promotion of this heritage with its protection.
Conservation and development initiatives are being implemented to preserve this unique heritage for future generations.