Menhir erection Néolithique (≈ 4100 av. J.-C.)
Estimated period of initial construction
1940
Charles Morel Inventory
Charles Morel Inventory 1940 (≈ 1940)
Census of two menhirs still visible
5 juin 1941
Historical monuments
Historical monuments 5 juin 1941 (≈ 1941)
Official protection of both menhirs
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Menhirs (two), known as Montmirat, not far from Montmirat Pass: inscription by order of 5 June 1941
Key figures
Charles Morel - Archaeologist
Author of the 1940 inventory
Origin and history
The menhirs of Montmirat, located near the eponymous pass in the region of Bondons (Lozère), originally formed a set of nine erect stones dating from Neolithic. In 1940, archaeologist Charles Morel recorded two menhirs still visible: one lying under the vegetation, the other broken by lightning and reduced to 1.20 m height. Their exact location is specified as "not far from the Col de Montmirat, Commune des Bondons".
The decree of 5 June 1941 includes these two menhirs as historical monuments. Today, only one remains near the pass, on the commune of Saint-Étienne-du-Valdonrez. This menhir bears traces of cutting (two notches at mid-height) and was later Christianized by the addition of a cross at its top, illustrating the symbolic reappropriation of these prehistoric remains.
Historical sources, including Morel's inventory and Monumentum's data, highlight the precarious nature of their conservation. The current GPS location (48,000 Saint-Étienne-du-Valdonnz) is partially different from the original descriptions, reflecting the uncertainties associated with their dispersion over the centuries. These menhirs are part of a wider network of megalithic cevenol sites, studied in particular in the work of the Cevennes National Park.
