Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève
MonumentHidden Treasure
Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève, located in Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier (Département 35), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.2792, -1.4852
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090764
Five stone sentinels standing in the Haute-Sève forest, these Neolithic menhirs have been listed since 1900 and bear witness to a sacred millennium nestled in the heart of deepest Brittany.
History
As you stroll along the shady paths of the Haute-Sève forest, near Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, five menhirs emerge from the vegetation with a presence that is both discreet and striking. Set in a forest landscape typical of the Armorican massif, these upright monoliths form one of the most intimate megalithic complexes in Ille-et-Vilaine, far removed from the crowds of the great alignments of Morbihan. What sets this site apart is precisely its wooded setting. Where other Breton menhirs stand on the moor under an open sky, those at Haute-Sève are as if absorbed by the forest, their blue-grey granite silhouettes standing out against the green backdrop of ferns and beech trees. The light filtered through the foliage creates an almost mystical atmosphere, inviting us to understand why these places were chosen by Neolithic populations for their ritual or funerary practices. The visitor experience is one of gradual, silent discovery. Visitors venturing along the forest paths from the market town of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier - a town also known for the ruins of its medieval castle - are rewarded with an encounter with these standing stones, some of which are several metres high. There is no heavy tourist infrastructure to detract from the authenticity of this place: it's a site of raw heritage, to be experienced and felt. For lovers of hiking, photography or simply nature mixed with history, this site offers a rare experience: that of rubbing shoulders with stone witnesses erected over five thousand years ago, in an unspoilt forest setting that seems to have survived the centuries almost intact.
Architecture
The five menhirs in the Haute-Sève forest are carved from local grey to bluish granite, characteristic of the Armorican bedrock. This material is exceptionally resistant, which explains why they have been preserved for several thousand years. Each stone has a rough, barely squared profile: the surfaces still bear the marks of Neolithic workmanship, carried out by percussion using other blocks of stone rather than metal. The shapes are slender, slightly spindle-shaped for the largest specimens, with a broad base buried in the ground to ensure stability. The arrangement of the five monoliths in the forest space suggests an intentional ensemble rather than a chance accumulation. Some can reach two or three metres in height above ground - a common size for isolated menhirs in Ille-et-Vilaine - while others are more modest. The relative orientation of the stones in relation to one another could be due to astronomical or topographical reasons, as is often the case for Breton megalithic groups, whose main axis is often aligned with the rising or setting of the sun on solstices. The patina of the surfaces, covered in places with golden, orange and grey lichens, contributes to the monumental and venerable appearance of these stones. No engraved decoration (cupules, axes, anthropomorphic representations) has been documented on their surface, unlike the more ornate menhirs of Morbihan, which is consistent with the general characteristics of megalithism in Upper Brittany, which is more restrained than that in the south of the region.
Related Figures
Populations néolithiques armoricaines (bâtisseurs anonymes, vers 4000-2500 av. J.-C.)Membres de la Société Archéologique d'Ille-et-Vilaine (inventaire et protection, XIXe siècle)Paul de Robien (érudit breton du XVIIIe siècle, l'un des premiers à répertorier les mégalithes d'Ille-et-Vilaine)Prosper Mérimée (inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, initiateur de la politique de protection du patrimoine mégalithique breton)
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève located?
Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève is located in Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
Is Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève open to visitors?
Cinq menhirs dans la forêt de Haute-Sève is currently closed to visitors.
