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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Dolmen des Landes de Bazoges-en-Pareds, also known as Pierre-Levée des Landes, is a megalithic building located in the Vendée department in Pays de la Loire. This angelvin-type dolmen consists of nine orthostates in sandstone or granite, supporting two tables of cover. Measuring 7.90 metres in length, it was erected on a small eminence overlooking the Loing, and retains visible remains of its original tumulus. Three stone blocks about 20 metres away could be satellite menhirs or remains of the entrance gate, according to Gobert's observations in 1864.

The monument has been classified as historical monuments since May 10, 1927. This classification specifically protects the dolmen, also called Allée covered by the Pierre Levée. Historical sources, such as Bertrand Poissonnier's in The Prehistoric Vendée (1997), underline its importance in the regional megalithic heritage. The site is referenced in the Merimée base, with an approximate location with GPS coordinates indicating 5299 Les Landes, Bazoges-en-Pareds.

Dolmens, characteristic of Neolithic, were generally used as collective burials. That of Bazoges-en-Pareds illustrates the funeral and architectural practices of this period in Vendée. Although little detail is available on its precise use, its structure and location suggest a ritual or commemorative function within local prehistoric communities.

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