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Origin and history

The alignments of Lagatjar, also known as the alignments of the Toulingualt, are megalithic remains located on the Crozon peninsula in Camaret-sur-Mer (Finistère). This site, dated from the final Neolithic, consists of three main menhir alignments, forming a reversed "D" structure, with a north-east/south-west oriented central alignment and two perpendicular alignments. The local quartz sandstone stones probably come from nearby quarries, less than 100 metres from the site.

The first written mention of the alignments dates back to 1799, when Admiral Thévenard described 84 "informed large masses of rocks" arranged in several rows. In the 19th century, various authors such as Cambry (1805), Brousmiche (1830), and the Chevalier de Fréminville (1835-1844) gave variable descriptions, evoking between 60 and 180 stones according to the sources. In 1883, the site was classified as a historic monument, but its degradation continued due to the stone removals by local carriers. In 1908, Commander Alfred Devoir proposed an astronomical interpretation, linking alignments to summer and winter solstice.

A major restoration was undertaken in 1927-1928 under the direction of Bénard Le Pontois and the architect Gaston Chabal, giving the site its present appearance with 87 menhirs and 11 marked caling stones. Excavations of this period reveal a bronze axe and a sandstone polisher, as well as undated charcoals with the techniques of the period. Assumptions suggest that the original range of alignments could reach 1.5 km, including menhirs now disappeared towards the hamlets of Kerbonn and Penhir.

The old descriptions also mention neighbouring dolmens, now destroyed, as well as a re-cut natural rock called " Roche de l'Atel" or "Pierre du Sacrifice", destroyed in the early 20th century when a military battery was built. Although some authors such as Georges-Gustave Toudouze (1956) mentioned an astronomical link with the constellation of Pleiades, this hypothesis remains speculative. The site, owned by the municipality, is now protected and accessible to the public.

Menhirs, mostly modest in size, once reached up to 4 metres in height according to 19th century accounts. Their arrangement and orientation have given rise to many interpretations, ranging from a Druidic temple (Brousmiche, 1830) to an astronomical observatory. Despite partial destruction, Lagatjar's alignments remain a major testimony of Breton megalithic architecture and its evolution throughout the centuries.

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