©Allée couverte de l'île Milliau à Trébeurden|Alexandre Lamoureux

Menhirs and dolmensLegendary stones

Menhirs and dolmens: legendary stones to discover on the Pink Granite Coast

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.
Did you know? Brittany is one of Europe’s richest regions for megaliths. At the bend of a path, on an island or in the middle of the forest, these witnesses to time, erected in the Neolithic period, often point the tip of their menhir without warning. All to our great delight! A unique heritage that will appeal as much to prehistory enthusiasts as to toddlers in search of a giant hide-and-seek adventure.

The megaliths of Brittany

Breton stones that haven’t said their last word

In Brittany, stones have a reputation for being talkative… Thousands of years of anecdotes are worth sharing! And with its thousands of megaliths scattered around, Brittany can boast a few stories to tell. Stories of monuments that stood proudly in the sky over 3,000 years ago. Of western watchtowers, seemingly sheltering eternal rest between menhirs and dolmens. Witnesses to prehistory, the memory of a fascinating civilisation turned towards the stars. And if the stones of Brittany roll, it’s to better collect the great stories!

©Kerguntuil Studio Jezequel 1|Studio Jézéquel

OK, but what exactly is a megalith?

An excellent question. Megaliths, as their name suggests, are impressive monuments made of rough stone blocks, sometimes weighing several dozen tonnes, erected with bare hands by Neolithic builders. No cement or mortar, just a lot of elbow grease and ingenuity! These prehistoric pillars, emblematic of megalithism in Brittany and Western Europe, fall into several families:

Menhirs: these are upright stones, often large in size.
Dolmens: these look like large stone tables, supported by other blocks, forming a sort of chamber, potentially used for burials. They are sometimes built into the floor of more recent buildings.
Covered alleys: these are stone corridors, lined and covered, once buried under an earthen mound.

More than just graves

Pure enigmas

Why did Neolithic man build these megaliths? What did they have in mind? It’s still a mystery. For a long time, it was thought that they were simply collective burials, until recent research. Their conclusion (drum roll): the megaliths also have social, religious and astronomical functions. Their orientation and precise positioning in the landscape could be proof that our ancestors knew how to read the stars and the sky… What do you think?

©Ile Milliau Allée Couverte|Yann Josselin

Allée Couverte Crec'h Quillé — ©rando De Pont ar Sauz à Saint Méen|Antoine

Between places of worship and legends

stones have faith… and long memories

While the Carnac alignments are a sight to behold, with their thousands of menhirs in a tight row, the Pink Granite Coast prefers to play the intimacy card. The megaliths hide like well-kept secrets, tucked away in a corner of the moor, a fold in the woods, or at the bend of a discreet path. Sometimes you have to search a little… but these Breton stones know how to reward the curious.
Some of these megalithic monuments, erected several thousand centuries ago, still bear traces of parietal sculptures: signs that our ancestors did not place these blocks of granite at random. Between places of passage, meditation and ritual, these stones tell the story of a Neolithic spirituality whose echoes still resonate.
And then there are the legends. In Brittany, they stick to the stones like salt to the skin. Stemming from Celtic beliefs passed down from generation to generation, they attribute supernatural powers to the megaliths, linking them to the gods and the 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!

Stones to lift… and mysteries to uncover

A menhir weighing several tonnes cannot be erected by hand. Erecting these imposing monuments required much more than brute strength: a well-honed social organisation, technical know-how and, no doubt, a good dose of collective determination. These megaliths are proof that over 3,000 years ago, our ancestors already knew how to mobilise human resources over the long term. A real building site… on the scale of the Stone Age!
And yet, despite the best efforts of archaeologists, the construction of these monuments remains something of a mystery. How did they move these enormous blocks of stone for miles on end, sometimes over steep terrain? The most serious clues point to a rudimentary system of lifting and pulling, using logs, ropes and… patience. A lot of patience.

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.

©Allee Couverte De Lile Grande|Cécile Moinard

Remarkable megaliths

of the Pink Granite Coast

©Allee Couverte De Lile Grande 2|Cécile Moinard

Our top megalith sites on the Pink Granite Coast

The Saint-Uzec menhir in Pleumeur-Bodou, the highest in the area at 7 metres, topped by a cross and 17th-century sculptures.
The covered alleyway at Brohet 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.

Our 3 reasons for visiting the megaliths

Immerse yourself in a unique heritage
The megaliths are much more than just stones standing on the moor: they are veritable witnesses to the Neolithic period, a time when man was laying the foundations of the first organised societies. A thousand-year-old heritage, carved out of the rock, to discover with eyes wide open (and sometimes heads up!).
A breath of fresh air
In Brittany, the megaliths have a knack for choosing their setting: a golden moor, shady undergrowth, a viewpoint over the ocean… Each site is an invitation to contemplate.
Awaken your imagination
Between Celtic legends, dancing korrigans and archaeological mysteries, these megalithic monuments stimulate the mind as much as the legs. They have always inspired fantastic stories, paintings and storytelling walks.

A journey through time

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

A heritage worth preserving!

Brittany’s menhirs and dolmens have survived the centuries, but they remain surprisingly fragile. Every year, thousands of visitors come to admire these megalithic monuments, proof of their importance to regional tourism… and of the deep attachment that Bretons (and many others!) have to this unique heritage.
But while the stones are solid, the human footprint can wear them down. The influx of tourists raises real conservation issues, as too many visitors risk compromising the balance of these age-old sites. So we need to tread lightly and think ahead.
Fortunately, concrete action is being taken to preserve and promote these prehistoric treasures, so that future generations can also marvel at these granite giants. Because in Brittany, we don’t mess around with the memory of the stones!

The F.A.K.: the Korrigans Fair

Here we answer the most frequently asked questions about Brittany's menhirs and dolmens!

What is a menhir?
A menhir is an upright stone, often of great height, erected in the Neolithic period. These monoliths are emblematic of Breton megalithism, and can be seen at numerous sites such as Carnac, in Morbihan, and Kerloas, the highest menhir in France.
What is the difference between a menhir and a dolmen?
A menhir is a single vertical stele, while a dolmen is a group of blocks forming a burial chamber, often covered with earth or stones, known as a cairn. These two types of megalithic monument bear witness to a prehistoric civilisation that was particularly active in Western Europe.
Where can you see menhirs around the Pink Granite Coast?
Among the megalithic sites in northern Brittany are the 7-metre-high menhir of Saint-Uzec in Pleumeur-Bodou and the dolmen at the Chapelle des Sept-Saints. These stones are treasures of Breton heritage.
Does the granite used for the megaliths always come from the same place?
No, the stones often come from local quarries, but sometimes from rocks quarried several kilometres away. Brittany is full of types of granite, particularly in the north, around the Côte de Granit Rose.