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Origin and history

La croix-menhir de Mendigoules is an emblematic menhir located in the commune of Tence, in the department of Haute-Loire, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This monument, dating from the Neolithic period, bears witness to the ancient occupation of this territory by prehistoric societies. It illustrates the cultural and religious practices of the time, marked by erect stones, often associated with funeral or symbolic rites.

The menhir was partially damaged in the 20th century when a vehicle deviated from the departmental road 500, forcing it to undergo restoration. On that occasion, he was moved several hundred meters north to preserve him. These interventions reflect modern efforts to safeguard a fragile heritage, while adapting its environment to contemporary constraints.

Ranked as historical monuments by an order of 5 January 1989, the Mendigoules cross-menhir enjoys official recognition of its heritage value. This status protects the site and makes it possible to study its archaeological characteristics, as evidenced by the work of researchers such as Roger de Bayle des Hermens, who helped document the megalithic monuments of the Haute-Loire in the 1960s.

Today, the menhir is located near the place called The Rat, at an approximate address of 1023 Le Rat, 43190 Tence. Its location, although considered a priori satisfactory (note 6/10), remains a subject of study for archaeologists and local historians. The site is referenced in the Mérimée base, an essential tool for the inventory of French architectural heritage.

This type of monument, typical of megalithism, provides insight into the Neolithic societies of the region. Menhirs, often associated with alignments or funerary sets, could serve as territorial landmarks, symbolic markers or places of worship. Their presence in the Haute-Loire is part of a wider network of megalithic sites in the Central Massif and beyond.

The Mendigoules cross-menhir thus embodies a local and universal heritage, linking the town of Tence with a much older history than the medieval or modern periods that marked most of the other monuments of the region. His study continues to enrich knowledge about the first sedentary communities and their relationship to the territory.

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