Discovery of the dolmen 1862 (≈ 1862)
By carriages on Yeu Island.
1907
Search and restoration
Search and restoration 1907 (≈ 1907)
Lead by Marcel Baudouin.
1979
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1979 (≈ 1979)
Order of 16 February 1979.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Dolmen et son tumulus dit La Guette (cad. E 3432) : classification by decree of 16 February 1979
Key figures
Marcel Baudouin - Archaeologist
Fouilla and restored the dolmen in 1907.
Gaillard - Treasurer
Underground searches after 1862.
Jean L'Helgouach - Researcher
The prehistoric origin is called into question.
Origin and history
The Dolmen de la Guette, located on the Île-d'Yeu in Vendée, was discovered in 1862 by carriers and then searched clandestinely by a treasurer named Gaillard. Marcel Baudouin, archaeologist, undertook official excavations and restoration in 1907, revealing a complex structure: a master bedroom of 3 meters by 2, with a straight north wall and a slightly curved south wall. The presence of a semi-circular notch on a slab, interpreted as a modern anchor for a mast, as well as the absence of archaeological furniture, gave rise to doubts about its prehistoric origin.
The building is classified as a side cell dolmen, with a small adjacent trapezoidal chamber, now partially extinct. Baudouin also described a tumulus of earth and stone, measuring between 13 and 15 metres in diameter at the base, and a height between 3.50 and 4 metres. The irregular arrangement of orthostats (arrested stone), their low height (maximum 1.10 m) and the absence of a cover table have led some researchers, such as Jean L'Helgouach, to question its prehistoric character. The latter suggests that it could be a modern watchman's post on a natural hill, a hypothesis reinforced by the toponym "Guette".
The Dolmen de la Guette remains an enigmatic site. Baudouin's excavations did not deliver any archaeological objects, allowing the mystery to glide on its original function. The sources available, including Baudouin's works published in 1911 and subsequent studies such as those of Annabelle Chauviteau-Lacoste in 2015, underline its importance in the megalithic landscape of the Vendean, despite the persistent questions about its exact dating and its initial use.
