Locmariaquer
Locmariaquer is a village and
commune of western
France, on the western shore of the
Gulf of Morbihan, in the
département of
Morbihan, 8.5 miles south of
Auray by road.
Roman remains are to be seen, but the place owes its celebrity to the
megalithic monuments in the vicinity, some of which are among the largest extant.
Le grand menhir brisé
The
menhir of Men-er-Hoeck (
fairy stone), generally known as
le grand menhir brisé (the great broken menhir) was broken into four pieces by an earthquake in 1722. It previously measured about 22 metres (67 ft.) in height, and from 3-4 metres (9 to 13 ft.) in thickness, weighing 347 tonnes.
[http://france-for-visitors.com/brittany/south/locmariaquer.html]It is thought to be the heaviest object ever moved by humans without powered machinery.
Certain stones in Locmariaquer have a connection with the
Carnac Stones, either by having been transported from there, or possibly forming one larger astronomical structure. This latter theory is heavily disputed, however.
Locmariaquer has a small
port, and
oyster culture is carried on close to it.
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Carnac Stones
