Morbihan (56) including Carnac forum 6 room
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Morbihan (56) including Carnac

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Hi folks!

I know there's endless information about Carnac and surrounding area online, but I find myself overwhelmed and don't know where to start!

A friend visited the stones some years ago and was disappointed to discover a lot of the stones were fenced off at the time of year he was there, but understood that they were accessible at others.

Anyone know anything about these dates?

Also, recommendations RE *bestest* places to visit would be most welcome...

I will, of course, be doing my own research, but if anyone could help me cut to the quick I'd be most grateful! (I have the Burl book, which will be my bible, and, naturally, The Megalithic European!)

Loads of thanks in advance...

G x

I'll not write much coz I bet Mark'll be along soon, rendering owt I say pointless....

But in the meantime - how long're you there (are you staying at/near Carnac?) & I'll give it some thought in case Mark doesn't turn up!

I've been to Carnac 3 (or is it 4?) times and have never been there when the main alignements are open, but I think the situation changes with such regularity that that doesn't necessarily mean owt....

Leaving aside the main alignements, the big recommendations I'd make right now are getting down to the Grand Menhir Brise & the other cool stuff in Locmariaquer, and - even if you're only there for a very short while, if you even vaguely possibly can MAKE SURE you get over on the boat to Gavrinis!

Here are J's blogs:

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/36627/weblog/ - mainly Locmariaquer

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/36663/weblog/ - all over the bloody place coz we had Spaceship Mark to guide us quickly & efficiently

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/37318/weblog/ Quiberon & a bit to the west of Carnac

And my blog (just outside Carnac) http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/37386/weblog/ - it's a nice walk thru the woods (or would've been if it hadn't been pissing down!)

A bit further afield there's a couple by J - La Roche aux Fees http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/36903/weblog/ and

St Just http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/36904/weblog/

Also north Brittany by J http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/36863/weblog/

Unfortunately these were all done before the TMA site went pan-European, so there are no useful links to site pages.

I know that thanks to helpful folk who actually get around to adding stuff (unlike me nowadays) there's loads of stuff in the Brittany section http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/9879/brittany.html & the bit around Carnac is here http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/9879/brittany.html

love

Moth

To me honest Janes blogs are probably the best source for itineraries. The Alignements are more accessible from October to March, although some bits were open when I was there late September last year. They never seem to open everything at the same time but you can do some wandering.
Whichever way my advice is always to get the Blue IGN 1:25000 maps Auray and Vannes sheets. All the stuff is marked by a pink star and the maps are pretty good quality.

Just be aware that, even if the main Alignements are closed off, there is tonnes of really great stuff to see, and the lesser known sites are very rewarding (if you can find Kerlescan Nord you get a medal, or should at least!)

Off the beaten track Erdeven, Crucuno dolmen and rectangle, Coet Er Bei, Le Bono, Mane er Hroeuk, Mane Rutuel, Les Pierres Plats, Le Moustor and quite a few others are musts.

Keep watching ebay etc for Aubrey Burl's Megalithic Brittany. It's a bit out of date now but is still the best guide there is

BTW, what time of year are you going?

Well, we're back! Somewhat reluctantly, it has to be said... :)

What an utterly astounding place! The whole of bloody Brittany, I mean! The coast, the islands, the countryside, the stones... Everything! Loved it all.

Will post some fieldnotes in due course. Don't expect many though - we visited the tiniest fraction of the sites we intended to! We only really had 3 full days there, y'see...

But what we did see was totally amazing. Lots of unique sites. And lots of holy wells! Why didn't anyone tell me the place is lifting with sodding holy wells??? ;)

Of course, I'll not include those. But by 'eck I thought Cornwall had enough! It doesn't dampen my "proximity to megalithic sites" thang... :)

We gotta get ourselves back there. For a lot longer. Thanks for everyone's advice... There really is just too much to see in one trip!

What was particularly interesting was using Aubrey Burl's "Megalithic Brittany" as a guide (indispensable!) and comparing what some of the sites were like when the book was published (1985?) to what they're like now.

As you can tell - I'm still buzzing. Loved it. Recommended holiday location. Do it. ;)

G x