Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Palet de Gargantua, also known as the Toad, is a dolmen located in Tripleville, in the commune of Beauce la Romaine (Loir-et-Cher). This megalithic monument, dated from the Neolithic, consists of a rectangular room 3 meters long by 1.50 meters wide, covered with a limestone cover table of Beauce. It is oriented northwest/southeast and bounded by bedside slabs and orthostats. All the stones were taken from the local limestone.

Dolmen is part of a set of three megaliths associated with the legend of the giant Gargantua. According to tradition, Gargantua, sitting on the bell tower of Tripleville, used these stones as toys: the dolmen would represent his pallet, while the Drue in Gargantua would symbolize his keel. These popular narratives illustrate the medieval and post-medieval imagination around megaliths, often attributed to giants or supernatural forces.

Ranked as historic monuments in 1889, the site bears witness to the importance of neolithic constructions in the region. The dolmen is protected under the name Dolmens de la Nivardière and remains a remarkable example of prehistoric funeral architecture in the Centre-Val de Loire. Its state of conservation and its link to local legends make it both historical and cultural.

The other megaliths of the group, such as the Plat à Gargantua, complete this archaeological landscape, evoking ritual or daily practices attributed to the mythical giant. These monuments, although partially documented, offer an overview of the beliefs and construction techniques of neolithic societies in Beauce.

External links