The Megaliths of Carnac

Stone Circles / Cromlechs / Enclosures

Cromlechs, also called stone circles or enclosures, are quite rare in Brittany. Some are circular but most are oval or barrel-shaped. Rarely, they are quadrilateral. The stones are often placed close beside each other, hence the name enclosure. At least 4 cromlechs were associated with the alignments at Carnac.

Below is a map showing the location of cromlechs/stone circles in the Carnac/Gulf of Morbihan area.

Map of Carnac region showing location of cromlechs/stone circles

Le Ménec
Stone circle at west end of Le Menec alignments
Le Menec stone circle
2 circles, one at west end of Le Ménec alignments and one at east end
Le Ménec village is built in the western circle which is 90 meters by 70 meters and contains 70 stones, most adjacent, most 1.5 to 2 meters tall
Circle at east end of alignments is built of smaller stones, many of which have been plundered

Kerlescan
Kerlescan barrel comlech
Kerlescan barrel cromlech
Model of Kerlescan alignments and stone circles
Model of Kerlescan

At west end of Kerlescan alignments there is a barrel-shaped cromlech or quadrilateral of 39 stones, many adjacent (photos)
 
100 meters north of Kerlescan alignments is another stone circle, a flattened circle, more than 90 meters across, with at least 42 stones. The area is very overgrown and we could not find the circle.
 
The photograph of the model of the Kerlescan site shows the barrel-shaped cromlech or quadrilateral at the west end of the alignments. Above it is the large stone circle. Click on the photo to see a large-scale photo.

Kermario West end of Kermario alignments, stone holes under present car park
Crucuny
Part of Crucuny cromlech
2 km north of Le Menac
40-50 meter diameter cromlech, half destroyed, large menhir about 50 meters to northeast
Kercado
Part of stone circle around Kercado tumulus
Circle around Kercado tumulus
Diameter 35-40 meters, stones about 0.5 meters high, widely spaced
Unknown whether circle is same age or younger than tumulus
Quadrilateral
Quadrilateral
Quadrilateral
200 meters north of east end of Kermario alignments. 50 meters northwest of Le Géant menhir
About 40 meters long by 10 meters wide
Stones are quite small, 0.5 to 1 meter, and adjacent
Kerzerho Western end of Kerzerho alignments, 1 km southwest of Erdevan. On private property across road from alignments
Badly destroyed
Large stones about 2 meters tall
Chaise de César
(Caesar's Chair)

Stone Circle at East end of Caesar's Chair alignments
Stone Circle at East end of Caesar's Chair alignments
Eastern end of alignments
Stones not adjacent, 1 to 2 meters tall
Crucuno
Part of rectangle at Crucuno
2.5 km southeast of Erdevan, 0.5 km east of Crucuno village
Rectangle, 22 stones, 1.5 to 2 meters tall
Sides run north-south and east-west (unknown whether restored but unmaintained at present, i.e. very thorny!)
St. Pièrre de Quiberon
Stone circle in St. Pierre de Quiberon
Stone circle in St Pierre de Quiberon
In southern part of town
Associated with alignment
Stones about 1.5 meters tall, adjacent
Ile d'Er Lannic
Ile d'Erlannic from Gavr'Inis
Erlannic with some stones of circle visible
Er Lannic from the air
Island south of Gavr'Inis in Gulf of Morbihan
2 tangential circles; 28 stones in north circle, 32 in south circle; stones 2-5 meters high
Half of north circle and all of south circle are submerged; evidence that sea level has risen and Gulf flooded since circles were built
The aerial photograph of Er Lannic was taken by JJ Evendon who has kindly permitted me to show it here. Click on the photo or here to see the full-sized picture. The partially submerged circle is on the right side of the island. Half of the second circle is just visible at the right edge of the photo. Many thanks JJ for this photograph.
Île aux Moines Île aux Moines, largest island in Gulf of Morbihan, has at least 3 dolmen, a menhir, and a stone circle
Stone circle, 48 stones, between Kerscot and Kergonan

Except the aerial photos of Er Lannic by JJ Evendon, all photographs were taken by myself, during trips to the megaliths of Carnac in 1980, 1983, 1994, 1998, and 2002. All photographs are my property and may not be copied or used without my written permission.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction

Types of Megaliths
of Carnac

Databank

Links



August 17, 2003
©copyright 1999, 2003 Vicki Sherwood
E-mail: vsherwood@simon-kucher.com
This page is hypertext https://menhirs.tripod.com/cromlech.html/