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Origin and history

The dolmen dit La Pierre Courcoulée is a megalithic monument located in the commune of Ventes, in the department of Eure, on the edge of the forest of Evreux. Its covering slab, in poudingue, measures up to 4.60 m long for a thickness of between 1 m and 1.35 m. Four vertical stones, unevenly grounded, support this colossal table, whose inclination results from the partial collapse of one of the supports over the centuries. The site, surrounded by dense vegetation, also bears the local name of Haut-Bois, perhaps evoking an ancient sacralisation of the places.

The first written mention of the dolmen dates back to 1827, in the Memoirs on the ruins of François Rever's Vieil-Évreux. The latter describes a "huge and crude" stone of more than 10 m3, placed on four supports, which he associates with Druidic tombs. Rever also notes unsuccessful excavation attempts and a gradual shift in the slab due to subsidence or human intervention. In 1832, Auguste Le Prévost, in his historical and archaeological note on the Eure, described it as "more remarkable" of the local dolmens and published a more precise sketch than that of Rever, made by Charles-Léopold de Stabenrath.

The monument aroused growing interest in the 19th century: Louis-Léon Gadebled (1840) and the Viscount de Pulligny (1879) highlighted its exceptional dimensions. This recognition led to its ranking among the first historical monuments of the Eure in 1889, under the impetus of the French Prehistoric Society. Léon Coutier was incorporated in 1897 into the first Inventory of Menhirs and Dolmens of France, consolidating his status as a major vestige of Norman Neolithic. Its present state, with an unbalanced slab, bears witness to both its seniority and the alterations suffered since its construction.

Historical descriptions emphasize the probable collective grave function, typical of Neolithic dolmens. The old excavations, although not documented in detail, would not have delivered any significant artifacts, according to other similar sites in Brittany or Normandy. The hypothesis of ritual or funeral use, linked to the practices of the agro-pastoral communities of the time (ca. 4000–2000 BC), remains the most plausible. The dolmen thus illustrates the ingenuity of prehistoric builders, able to build perennial structures with rudimentary means.

Today, the Pierre Courcoulée remains accessible in its forest setting, although its exact location (13 Rue Alberte Lannesval) is sometimes considered unspecified by visitors. Its early classification and its mention in the 19th century inventories make it a symbol of Norman megalithic heritage, studied for its architecture and its turbulent history. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) confirm its status as an emblematic monument, despite the absence of recent excavations.

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