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Origin and history

The Dolmen des Petits Fradets, nicknamed "Maison de la Gournaise", is a megalithic monument located in the commune of L'Île-d'Yeu in the Vendée department. Ranked a historic monument in 1889, it bears witness to the funeral architecture of the Neolithic. Its current condition still allows to observe a chamber bounded by six orthostates in orthognesis, two of which cover tables, one measuring 4.10 m long and the other, reversed, 2,60 m. Two excreted slabs, visible to the east and south, could indicate the ancient presence of a corridor or side cells, suggesting a possible ranking among transepted dolmens.

In 1908, the site was searched by archaeologist Marcel Baudouin, although the results of his research were never published. Baudouin, however, mentions the discovery of a large slab and impactor, evoking a chamber probably emptied of its contents during this intervention. The photographs of the time support this hypothesis. In 2014, the main cover table collapsed, leading to the collapse of the pillars supporting it, illustrating the fragility of this millennium heritage.

The dolmen rests on a slight elevation, presumed vestige of its original tumulus composed of moellons. Orthostats, nested by their extremities, highlight a distinctive bedside slab. Although partially degraded, the monument retains remarkable architectural elements, such as the two slabs erected outside the chamber, whose exact function (couloir, tumulus or later additions) remains debated. These characteristics are a significant example of neolithic funeral and constructive practices in the region.

The site is referenced in the Mérimée base under the name "Dolmen La Gournaise ou des Petits Fradets", with an approximate location on the 3 Route des Soudiers. Its Insee code (85113) links it administratively to the Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire. Available sources, including Annabelle Chauviteau-Lacoste's work and the bulletins of the Société préhistorique française, underline its importance for understanding the megaliths of the island of Yeu.

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