The Carnac stone rows

The renowned Carnac stone rows (or ‘alignments’) are in three groups: from west to east, these are Le Ménec, Kermario, and Kerlescan. The Le Petit Ménec stone rows at La Trinité-sur-Mer form an extension of these alignments; the system as a whole covers a total distance of over almost 4km. The Le Ménec site alone extends over almost 1km, with eleven rows of standing stones.

Although they are by no means the only stone rows in southern Morbihan, these 3000 standing stones amid quite an open landscape are what has most caught the public’s imagination. Theories about their meaning have abounded since the early eighteenth century, and interpreting the alignments remains a challenge for scientists. They were also among the first megaliths in the region to be depicted in publications, and for which attempts at plans were made to give some idea of their scale.

Their preservation was taken into account very early on, and they feature in the first lists of historic monuments. They were also the first to be included in the French state’s projects to acquire megalithic monuments in the late nineteenth century. They have now become victims of their own success, and the fight is on to protect them from being overfrequented. The Carnac alignments are open in rotation in the winter, and for guided tours in the summer season.

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