Sun 23 Jan 2005
One of the really interesting aspects of Brittany is that it has been populated for a long time. All over, there are signs of an ancient Celtic civilization, primarily standing stones similar in character to the famous Stonehenge. On this cold January afternoon, out of sheer boredom, we went to see one of the larger constructions in the area near Rennes, called La-Roche-aux-Fées (the rock of the fairies).
Officially, the formation is know as a dolmen, derived from the Breton words for “stone table”, referring to how the stones on top are balanced. It appears this site and others like it may have been used as tombs and may have originally been covered with dirt that has long since worn away. There doesn’t seem to be any direct evidence that this particular dolmen was ever used as a gravesite, though. The official local story is that it was “built by fairies”, hence the name.
La Roche-aux-Fées is an unusually large structure of its type, particularly in that it is tall enough for most people to stand up inside (at least at one end), and it is the second largest dolmen in France. Archeologists have noted that the nearest source of the purplish-hued stones used to build the dolmen is at least 4km away, which makes the engineering effort that much more impressive.
Legend has it that a young couple about to be married should walk around the structure, counting the stones, and if they agree on the tally, their marriage will be harmonious.
Carissa and Cece thought that this was a wonderful place to play, but the wind picked up while we were there and made it too cold to stay very long.
Local Tags: brittany, carissa, celia, dolmen, France, ken, la roche-aux-fees
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