Locmariaquer megaliths

The Locmariaquer megaliths are a cluster of Neolithic monuments on the Atlantic coast at Locmariaquer in Brittany, France. The complex includes large menhirs, dolmens and burial mounds that date to the Neolithic period.

Key elements include the Grand Menhir Brisé, a formerly upright menhir that measured about 20.6 metres before it broke, and the Table des Marchands, a large dolmen with a decorated capstone. The nearby tumulus and associated passage graves form part of the same ritual landscape and are visible across the headland.

These monuments were constructed during the Neolithic and collectively illustrate large-scale prehistoric ritual and burial architecture in northwest Europe. Archaeological study and conservation have focused on the stones, decorated surfaces and the archaeological deposits associated with the burial mounds.

The megaliths lie on the coast of Morbihan in Brittany, close to the village of Locmariaquer and the Gulf of Morbihan, where the low headland preserves these well-known prehistoric remains.

• Largest menhir: The site contains the Grand Menhir Brisé, once the largest single standing stone in Europe at about 20.6 metres before it collapsed.
• Period: The monuments date to the Neolithic period and form part of a concentrated group of passage graves, dolmens and menhirs at the Locmariaquer headland.

What to See #

• Grand Menhir Brisé: Originally a single upright menhir estimated at about 20.6 metres in length, now broken into several fragments that lie near the original setting.
• Table des Marchands: A large covered burial chamber and dolmen notable for its decorated capstone and internal structure, interpreted as a passage grave and ritual monument.
• Er-Grah tumulus: A substantial Neolithic tumulus that once covered a passage grave and remains visible as an elongated mound close to the other monuments.