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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Petite Roche covered lane is a megalithic site located in the forest of La Grosse Roche, in the commune of Rocheville, in the department of Manche (Normandie). This funerary monument, characteristic of Neolithic, extends about 19 meters in length for a width of 1 to 1.20 meters. Oriented on an east-west axis, it is bounded by fourteen orthostats (stones erect) on the north and fifteen south side, with seven cover tables still in place. The materials would come from a nearby rocky overhang, emphasizing its integration into the local landscape.

This covered alley is the only survivor of an original set of three similar monuments, now missing. Its archaeological importance led to its classification as historical monuments by decree of 12 February 1906. The structure, owned by the commune of Rocheville, reflects the funeral practices and architectural know-how of the Neolithic societies of the region. Its state of conservation and legal protection make it a rare and precious vestige of Norman megalithic heritage.

Historical sources, such as Léon Coutil's inventory in 1906, confirm its membership in a wider network of megalithic sites in the Channel. Although little documented about its precise uses, covered lane illustrates the central role of these buildings in collective rituals and the memory of prehistoric communities. Its access, located near the Route des Roches, allows today to study in situ the construction techniques and spatial organization of these collective burials.

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