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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Les Pierres Pouquelées is a neolithic covered driveway located in Vauville, Manche department, Normandy. This funerary monument, dated about 4500 years old, is located at the top of a hill at 134 meters altitude. It was partially destroyed over the centuries, especially during excavations in 1755 by the Royal Academic Society of Cherbourg, which were never published.

At the beginning of the 19th century, around 1830, the aisle covers were recovered by the inhabitants to build a bridge. The sub-prefect of Valognes ordered their repositioning, but the blocks were simply placed nearby. In 1833, part of the orthostats disappeared. Despite these degradations, the site was classified as a historical monument in 1907 thanks to the intervention of Léon Coutil.

The covered driveway, oriented north-west/south-east, is now 14.50 metres long for an inner width of 1.25 metres. Its slabs, mainly in quartz sandstone, include two granite roof tables, probably extracted from a deposit located 3 km away. The entrance seems to be lateral, to the southwest, and the monument is now owned by the commune of La Hague.

Successive excavations and degradations significantly altered the original state of the monument. The cover tables, removed and then abandoned in the vicinity, reflect the disturbance experienced by the site. Despite this, its ranking in 1907 allowed its partial preservation, though very ruined.

The covered alley of the Pierres Pouquelées illustrates neolithic funeral practices in Normandy. These collective monuments, often located high, served as burials for local communities. Their orientation and structure reflect the architectural beliefs and know-how of this distant time.

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