Carnac stones

The Carnac stones are an extensive Neolithic megalithic complex on the Gulf of Morbihan coast in Brittany, France, consisting of thousands of standing stones, dolmens and burial mounds. The site is notable for the dense rows of menhirs arranged in long alignments across fields.

Major features include the Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan alignments, which together form the principal stone rows, and nearby burial tumuli such as the Tumulus of Saint-Michel. The alignments comprise roughly 3,000 stones in total and extend for more than 4 kilometres across the landscape.

Archaeological study attributes the constructions to Neolithic communities several millennia before the Common Era; their precise function remains the subject of research and interpretation. The area is protected and managed for its archaeological and cultural value.

The Carnac complex lies near the town of Carnac in the Morbihan department of Brittany, within easy access of coastal roads and local visitor facilities.

• Scale of the site: The Carnac complex contains roughly 3,000 standing stones arranged in long alignments that together stretch for more than 4 kilometres.
• Age and significance: The site dates to the Neolithic period (several millennia before the Common Era) and is one of the largest megalithic sites in Europe.

What to See #

• Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan alignments: Alignments of Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan form the major rows of standing stones, with the Ménec alignments being the largest and most visited.
• Tumulus of Saint-Michel: The nearby Tumulus of Saint-Michel is a large Neolithic burial mound associated with the Carnac complex and dates to the same prehistoric period.