Carnac Things to Do

Numerous interpretations have been placed on these megalithic monuments - sometimes fanciful and not very credible. Nowadays most experts are inclined to believe, on the basis of the disposition of large stones, that they had a close relationship with studies of the stars and the Sun, possibly related to the best times for agricultural work. Several scholars have interpreted the megalithic complex of Carnac as a giant astronomical observatory, others prefer the idea of an ancient worship centre.

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The facade of the 17C Church of St. Cornely (the patron saint of horned cattle) is relatively severe. His statue stands above the door withtwo oxen. The interior has a ships' keel curved and decorated wood ceiling with a wrought iron pulpit and choir grille (18C). The outside north door is capped by carved stonework reminiscent of a crown or northern Breton calvaries. A wedding party was in progress when we were there.

Quiberon is the name of a small town (pop 5K) and also the peninsula on which it sits. Alonng the west it fronts on the Atlantic Ocean and it is there that we went to see the Cote Sauvage. Both it and the whole Morbihan area reminded us of the coast of Maine. There were no surfers or wind-surfers out, but we surprised one nude sunbather on the rocks.(We quickly walked away and he did not move).

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Up the D781 toward Auray, about 0.5 km from the area of the Great Menhir, on the right (east) side is the dolmen of Kercadoret(?). It is not visible from the road but is up the path about 50 yd. behind the backs of some houses in a clump of trees. There is a sort of mound and it is “below” it. It stands there deserted like some large stone child’s playhouse. The inside is not illuminated. There are supposed to be some carving but it looked like just wear to us. This is really off the beaten path and only takes a few minutes (about 15) but it is your own experience. There are other unexploited dolmens like this elsewhere (we even saw one once at Bauge in the Pays de la Loire-See our Tips), so enjoy it for yourself.

There are several other lesser sites near Locmariaquer not usually visited, each with different objects of interest. The nearest were the dolmen of Mane Lud and the tumulus of Er Grab (Vingle). We chose the former .The Dolmen of Mane Lude is in the area of the Merchants’ Table and the Great Menhir. It has a very heavy capstone over its deepest chamber (it is a passage grave) and the backstone has two sets of inverted “U”s which take advantage of the curve of the stone face. These are thought to be a female deity.There are many other crude carvings.

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The Merchants’ Table is the name given to the large dolmen 200 m away from the Great Menhir. It was buried in a tumulus, part of which remains, about 36 m long. Like Gavrinis it is also a passage grave, but the capstone of the chamber is so large that part of it covers some of the passage (gallery). On the underside of the Table (the capstone) in the chamber, is engraved an axe-like plough with traces of a harness which leads to an ox . Its two hind legs are seen. The rest of the animal is on the buried side of the capstone at Gavrinis (which we did not see when we were there). These were pieces of another great menhir that originally stood on this spot and was thrown down and broken.The back wall of the chamber has a large stone which has been given an ogival contour.. Its flat surface is covered with rows of crooks in a symetrical pattern (believed to represent a divinity). Many other stones have a variety of decorations

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The Great Menhir and the Merchant’s Table Dolmen are together as a single visit. The menhir was overthrown and broken into 4 pieces in prehistoric times (not struck by lightning) during an iconoclastic period. Assembled, it is the biggest menhir known. Apparently it stood here on a raised area and there was a similar one (also broken but its parts dispersed) here as well. Probably they were originally associated with equinox rites. There must have been an iconoclastic period and some of these pieces were too big to move and reutilize. One part of the second stone forms the capstone of the Merchant’s Table nearby where it may have stood, another is the capstone at Gavrinis (See our Tips) and the third piece is part of the Tumulus Er Grah near here (we did not go there). A small part of this one is missing (and as yet has not been found). We have seen a very large standing menhir near Dol de Bretagne (See Tip). Next to the giant fragments there are other archeological digs in progress.

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The most remarkable aspects of our visit were the stone surfaces of the passage. Each of the 23 stones is decorated with a mysterious array of designs. The patterns are graceful, somewhat like whorls of a fingerprint. A predominant patter is a lateral or inverted “U”, with numerous curved grooves running parallel to each other (breasts?). One or two have snakelike curving strands or arrowhead forms but no diagram representations. The displays are in segmented arrangement, on each stone and there is a feeling of rhythm. The grooves that make the patterns are believed to have been gouged by using quartz pebbles or even picks (there were no metal instruments then). They probably were done prior to erecting the stones. Can you question the intelligence and commitment of such Abstract Expressionists? (we are all brothers).