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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Menhir de Pierre Blanche is a megalithic monument located in Oudon, in the Loire-Atlantique department, in the Pays de la Loire region. Data from Neolithic, it consists of an imposing block of white quartz, measuring 4.30 meters high, 3.60 meters wide and about 3 meters thick. This menhir, classified as historical monuments by decree of 1 July 1970, bears witness to the importance of megalithic constructions in this region during prehistoric times.

According to a local legend, the stone would have the peculiarity of turning on itself once a year, at midnight, although the exact date of this phenomenon remains unknown, except for the lutins who would hold its secret. This popular belief illustrates the mystery and symbolism often associated with menhirs, objects of fascination for centuries.

The menhir is referenced in the Mérimée database under the code INSEE 44115, corresponding to the municipality of Oudon. Its approximate address, 1 Pierre Blanche, allows to locate it in an environment where traces of the Neolithic past coexist with the current landscape. The accuracy of its geographical location is estimated as fair (Level 5), based on available data.

The Neolithic, period of construction of the menhir, marks a major transition in human history with the adoption of agriculture, breeding and sedentarization. In western France, the communities of that time erected stone monuments, such as menhirs, often linked to ritual, funeral or astronomical practices. These structures probably played a central role in the social and spiritual organization of local populations.

Today, the Menhir de la Pierre Blanche remains a tangible testimony of this prehistoric heritage. Although the practical information about his visit is not detailed in the available sources, his classification as a historical monument in 1970 underlines his cultural and archaeological importance for the region of Pays de la Loire.

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