Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte
MonumentHidden Treasure
Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte, located in Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens (Gironde), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8894, -0.2046
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00083808
A stone sentinel since the Neolithic period in the heart of the Bordeaux region, the Peyrefitte menhir has watched over the Saint-Émilion vineyards for over 5,000 years. One of the few listed megaliths in Gironde.
History
In the heart of the Entre-Deux-Mers region, just a few kilometres from the prestigious vineyards of Saint-Émilion, the Peyrefitte menhir - whose Occitan name literally means "stuck stone" or "planted stone" - stands as a solitary, impassive reminder of a bygone age. This monolith of local sandstone, planted in the Bordeaux soil by Neolithic populations over five millennia ago, is in itself the embodiment of the long history of human occupation of the Gironde. What makes this menhir truly singular is above all its location in a landscape shaped by centuries of wine-growing and medieval history. Where people naturally look to Gallo-Roman castles and Romanesque bell towers, the Peyrefitte stone is a reminder that these lands were already inhabited, worked and ritualised long before the Romans or Benedictine monks arrived. Its presence in this context creates a silent dialogue between the ages, between the vine and the rough stone. A visit to the Peyrefitte menhir is an intimate and contemplative experience, far removed from the crowds that flock to the surrounding wine cellars and châteaux. To approach this block of stone carved by time is to become aware of the immensity of the centuries that separate it from us, and to imagine the patient gestures of the men who erected it, guided by beliefs now lost. A moment of silence is a natural response to this vestige. The surrounding setting amplifies the feeling of temporal disconnection: the gentle hills on the right bank of the Dordogne, dotted with vineyards and hedgerows, form a natural setting that changes colour with the seasons. In spring, the wild grasses surround the bright green menhir; in autumn, the golden hues of the surrounding vines create an almost magical atmosphere, perfect for photography.
Architecture
The Peyrefitte menhir is a monolith made of local sandstone, a material typical of Neolithic quarrying in the Aquitaine region. Standing vertically in the megalithic tradition, it has a slightly tapered profile, typical of menhirs in south-western France: wider at the base to ensure stability in the ground, it gradually narrows towards the top, giving the whole a slender, resolutely anthropomorphic silhouette. Its height, estimated at around two metres above ground, makes it a medium-sized example in the repertoire of Gironde menhirs. The surface of the block, roughly worked with stone tools, bears the marks of time: lichens, wind and water erosion have given the rock a golden and greyish patina that blends harmoniously into the landscape. Unlike some monuments in Brittany and Languedoc, there are no engravings or decorative ornamentation on this menhir. Its power is that of absolute simplicity: a block of rock torn from the earth and restored to verticality by human will alone. The siting of the menhir takes into account the local topography: positioned on a gentle slope or alongside an old road, it is a visible landmark in the open landscape of the hillsides on the right bank of the Dordogne. This logic of visibility and marking the territory is common to the vast majority of isolated menhirs in Europe's Atlantic arc.
Related Figures
Populations néolithiques de l'arc atlantique (5000-2500 av. J.-C.) — bâtisseurs anonymes du menhirProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments historiques, promoteur de la première protection du patrimoine préhistorique françaisGabriel de Mortillet — préhistorien français du XIXe siècle, pionnier du classement et de l'étude des mégalithes en France
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte located?
Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte is located in Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
Is Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte open to visitors?
Menhir de Peyrefitte ou de Pierre Fitte is currently closed to visitors.
