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Origin and history

La Pierre Couvée, also known as Pierre Couverte or Pierre Plantée, is a menhir located in Courtomer, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France. This megalithic monument, consisting of a 2.20 m high sandstone slab, was first reported in 1848 as Pierre Plantée. It was classified as historic monuments in 1971, recognizing its heritage and archaeological value.

The menhir has a rare peculiarity: it was Christianized, as evidenced by a rectangular niche (32 x 11 x 8 cm) dug in the stone, probably intended to house a statuette of Saint Geneviève, patron saint of the local parish. This statuette has now disappeared. The stone, buried at 1.20 m in a sandy soil, is also associated with local legends, such as that according to which the devil would plug any hole dug at his feet, perhaps a popular interpretation of the frequent floods of the nearby river Yerres.

Several oral traditions surround this menhir. One of them says that Saint Geneviève would have lost this stone during his transport to build a chapel. Another legend claims that the Yerres, which flows today 65 m south, once passed at the foot of the monument. These stories reflect the symbolic importance of the site, mixing religious history and popular beliefs. Menhir remains a testimony of megalithic practices in the Paris basin, studied by archaeologists such as Jean-Pierre Savary and Alain Bénard.

Administratively, the monument is listed under the name Menhir dit la Pierre Couvée (cadastre C 416) and located at 67 Rue du Cordeau in Courtomer. Its state of preservation and precise location (GPS coordinates) are documented in the Merimée database, with an accuracy considered very satisfactory (note 8/10).

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