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Origin and history

The Dolmen de la Maison Trouvée, also known as the Dolmen de la Ville au Voyer, is a megalithic monument located in the delegated municipality of La Chapelle-Caro, now integrated in Val-d This dolmen, dated from the Neolithic, is a typical example of the architecture of the angeline dolmens, with a rectangular sepulchral chamber of 4.30 m long by 2 m wide, covered with a monumental cover table in purple shale measuring 5.90 m long. It is surrounded by a circular terter about 1 m high, bounded by a peristalith of quartz blocks. The access corridor, 1 m wide, has a leaf on one of its slabs, suggesting the ancient existence of a door.

Mentioned from the early 19th century by local scholars such as Abbé Mahé (1825), Cayot-Delandre (1847) and Rozensweig (1863), the dolmen was then known as Maison Trouée or Maison Trouvée. It was classified as historical monuments on 28 August 1934. According to historical descriptions, it was originally surrounded by a circular enclosure of raised stones, now extinct, and overcame a tumulus of about 20 meters in diameter. Subsequent excavations and observations, such as those of Jean L-Helgouach, confirmed his east/west orientation and his belonging to the typology of the angeline dolmens.

Local folklore combines this dolmen with a legend featuring supernatural beings called Folliards. These creatures, known to substitute newborns in their cradle, could be removed by throwing nine red apples into a boiling water cauldron. This belief reflects superstitions related to megaliths, often perceived as places inhabited by evil spirits or entities. The dolmen, with its split table and its imposing appearance, nourished the collective imagination of Breton for centuries.

Archaeological studies, particularly those conducted by Jacques Briard and Philippe Gouézin, have clarified the architectural features of the site. All the slabs of the monument are in purple shale, and the funeral chamber has the peculiarity of having its orthostats doubled. The dolmen, although partially altered by time, remains a major testimony of the funeral practices and constructive know-how of Neolithic in interior Brittany. Its classification in 1934 contributed to its preservation, despite the disappearance of some original elements such as the enclosure of raised stones.

Today, the Dolmen de la Maison Trouvée is a protected archaeological site, accessible to the public. It illustrates both the ingenuity of prehistoric builders and the richness of Breton's megalithic heritage, while perpetuating legendary stories that anchor this monument in local culture. The available sources, combining archaeological data, historical descriptions and oral traditions, make it a privileged place of study to understand neolithic societies and their relationship to death.

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