It is only 6 euros to access the Cairn de Petit Mont. Given the size and quality of the site that is good value. It includes a group tour in French of the Cairn & Dolmen 3a, which is off limits without a tour guide. I requested some English commentary and the guide was obliging enough to give me a short lecture in English in the chamber. I was also able to take photos.
Cairn de Petit Mont is a large pentagonal cairn perched on a headland South-West of Arzon in Morbihan. The elevated position has extensive sea views and enables the cairn to be seen from afar. The unusual shape of the cairn, which currently measures 55m long by 55m wide, may be a result of its multi-phase construction. According to the tour booklet a mound covering a closed chamber (Chamber 1) was constructed in c. 4600 BC. The mound measured 50m x 19m x 1.6m. A stone cairn, measuring 22m long and 12m wide was erected over the mound c. 100 years later. 700 years later a chambered cairn with one accessible chamber (Chamber 2) was built over the original cairn. After another 1100 years a fourth phase of building occurred in 2700 BC. The cairn was modified and extended. Chamber 2 was blocked off and Chamber 3a and 3b were built, accessed by passages from the East side of the new cairn.
Unfortunately, this was not the final modification of Cairn de Petit Mont. Due to its strategic position on the coast Hitler order the construction of a concrete bunker within the cairn in 1943. The bunker was built in the SE side of the cairn. This modification completely destroyed Chamber 3b and partially destroyed the passages of Chamber 2 and Chamber 3a. The cairn was neglected until 1979 when archaeological excavations resulted in the final phase of modifications, completed in 1989. As a result Chamber 3a and its passage were restored. We also have access to Chamber 2 via the Bunker. The facades of the cairn were modified into a series of 3 steps with a flat roof.
Directions to Cairn de Petit Mont: Take the signed turn from the central roundabout in Arzon onto Rue de Lenn Vihan. Follow this road for c. 1.4 km to reach a car park for Cairn de Petit Mont. A path starts in the SW corner of the car park. Follow this path SW for 240m. Turn left and walk 50m to the entrance of the Cairn de Petit Mont.
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