Brittany, with its jagged coastline thrusting defiantly into the Atlantic has always been geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of France. This, the westernmost province of France is a land of Arthurian myths and legends, of deep-rooted traditions, of ancient burial chambers and stone circles. Clusters of standing stones can be found all over this corner of France, but the most dramatic are the alignments at Carnac, on the Gulf of Morbihan. The more than 3000 stones here constitute one of the most extensive and important archaeological sites in the world.

     The small village of Carnac is one of a string of seaside resorts on this part of the coast. If it weren’t for the famous stones on its doorstep, Carnac would be another peaceful and traditional Breton village, complete with its lovely 13th century church and a handful of souvenir shops and cafes. Old women still come into town on market day, dressed in the traditional Breton headgear of black; pedestrians and motorists regularly battle for space in the narrow streets of the town.

Standing Stones

          But drive a mile or two out of town and you will suddenly come upon ranks and ranks of tall standing stones, or menhirs, as they are officially known. They almost look as if they have just appeared there overnight – they march across farmers fields, past small stone cottages, across the main road, and through several area campgrounds. There are several different areas of stones, spread out over several square miles around the town of Carnac and the surrounding countryside. The stones are hewn from the local granite and some of them are as much as 12 feet high and weigh up to 20 tons. Today, the stones appear with rough edges, but there is evidence that they were skillfully cut with perfectly straight lines and angles. One of the largest stones has been mysteriously and dramatically split open – by a thunderbolt, as locals like to tell you.

The Visitor's Center

     If you are visiting the area and want to get a basic historical and geological overview of the stones, a good place to start is the visitors’ center, just outside the town of Carnac. The center offers an excellent introduction to the various sites, a large scale model depicting every stone and - naturally - souvenirs in the form of miniature menhir paperweights. From the observation deck outside the visitors’ center, you can get an excellent view of one of the most extensive and dramatic groupings of the stones, known as the Menec alignment. This alignment, which lies alongside the winding narrow road from Carnac to Auray, near the village of Kerlesken, is perhaps the most photographed in the area. Another popular way of seeing the stones – especially for families – is from a seat on the ‘train’ that runs along the same road, during the summer.

     The visitors’ center offers regular guided tours, whereby you can get a closer look at the stones and learn more about their purpose; they also allow visitors to wander freely among the stones during the quieter winter months.  At one time, visitors could wander through the stones year round, but erosion and vandalism have meant the need to keep people at a distance for most of the year.

Burial Chambers

     Apart from the main ranks of the stones, there are also many ancient burial chambers, or dolmen, hidden away in the region. Many of these are on private property, or so overgrown that only the locals know exactly where they are. Some of these are dramatic in their construction, such as the dolmen near the tiny village of Crucno, which consists of 9 standing stones supporting a huge flat stone of over 40 tons. In the 19th century, the monument must have looked even more impressive as it also boasted an ‘avenue’ of huge upright stones. Unfortunately, these stones have been used over the years by the local people to construct their houses.

     One of the most enchanting places, especially for children, is a line of moss-covered stones that meanders through the forest at Petit Menec, between Auray and la Trinite. Some of these stones were purloined and used in the construction of a nearby lighthouse in the 19th century, although local outcry prevented all the stones from being removed. It does not take too much imagination to conjure up visions of fairies cavorting around the stones.

Early Studies of the Stones

     The earliest extensive study and mapping of the stones at Carnac was undertaken in the early 1800s by the Scottish scientist James Miln. Miln even went so far as to place a mark on stones he had reset, so future generations would know which were restored and which were original. After his death, Miln left his body of work to the museum of prehistory in Carnac town center, which is now the largest museum of prehistory anywhere in the world. Apart from the many exhibits and interactive displays, even children usually find the museum fascinating, thanks to a cartoon character known as ‘Neo’ who somehow manages to make the old stones appear interesting.

     In the 1960s a British professor of engineering named Alexander Thom prepared a detailed survey of the whole area mapping over 3000 of the stones. Thom also published an article describing how megalithic man was able to make accurate solar observations, as well as discovering a measurement used consistently at Carnac. He came up with the idea of the ‘megalithic yard’ a unit of measurement just less than a conventional yard. Once his theories were made public, Thom has remained a rather controversial figure. Since Thom’s findings, the stones at Carnac have been mapped, counted, and measured many times in an effort to determine their real purpose.

Why Were the Stones Constructed?

     Like Stonehenge, and many other stone sites around the world, there are many diverse theories as to their construction, ranging from the work of extraterrestrials to a huge marked burial plot. Although the stones do resemble headstones, there is no indication that this was their purpose. Local legend has it that the stones are legions of Roman soldiers turned into stone, or the remains of the legendary lost civilization of Atlantis. In all probability the stones were an ancient observatory for monitoring the movements of the stars and sun. Modern dating techniques have established that most of the stones were built over a period of time by a Neolithic culture, which lived and farmed this corner of France between 4000 and 2000 BC.

     Whatever the reason for their construction, the enigmatic stones of Carnac stand guard over this mysterious corner of France today, as they have done for centuries.