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Origin and history

The covered avenue des Bonnes Dames is a megalithic site located in Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers, in the department of Mayenne (Pays de la Loire). Composed of about thirty blocks of stone of various sizes, it is about 7 meters long by 1.50 meters wide, facing west-east. The monument, partially ruined, presents a cover table located 1 metre from the ground, with a tree having grown in its center. It is located in a private field, near La Haute Sorie, 2 km southwest of the village, visible from the road.

The site was discovered in the early 1970s by Mr. L. Avignon and then listed as historical monuments by order of 14 June 1988. Her name, Good Ladies, refers to fairies, so called in local folklore. The covered aisles, typical of Neolithic, generally served as collective burials, reflecting funeral practices and beliefs of the agricultural communities of the time.

The Mayenne region, rich in megalithic remains, bears witness to an ancient human occupation linked to agriculture and livestock. These monuments, often associated with legends, marked the landscape and played a symbolic role in the territorial and spiritual organization of prehistoric populations. Their preservation now allows us to study the construction techniques and lifestyles of these missing societies.

The covered alley of the Good Ladies thus illustrates both the prehistoric architectural heritage and the local collective imagination, where myths and history mingle. Its current state, although degraded, provides an overview of the conservation challenges of megalithic sites, often exposed to natural hazards and human activities.

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