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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Menhir de la Boitière, located in Avrillé in the Vendée department, is part of a megalithic ensemble dated from the Neolithic. Originally, this site consisted of two menhirs: a large, still visible today, and a smaller, now buried or disappeared. The remaining menhir, imposing with its 5.20 meters high, 2.80 meters wide and 2.40 meters thick, weighs about 70 tons. Its classification as a historical monument in 1889 reflects its heritage and archaeological importance.

Menhirs de la Garnerie, of which the Garnière is part, illustrate the funeral and cultural practices of the Neolithic societies of the region. These monuments, often associated with territorial rites or markings, reflect the social and spiritual organization of the communities of the time. Their presence in Vendée, an area rich in megalithic remains, underlines the importance of this territory in French prehistory.

Depending on available sources, including F. Baudry's descriptions, the site has undergone changes over time, with the second menhir partially or completely disappearing. Today, only the main menhir remains, offering a material testimony of construction techniques and beliefs of neolithic populations. Its conservation status and precise location, although documented, remain subject to varying geographical details, as indicated by the location notation on Monumentum.

The classification of 1889 protected this heritage, while making it accessible to study and visit. Menhirs, like that of the Boiler, play a key role in understanding prehistoric landscapes and their evolution. Their preservation contributes to the transmission of collective memory and the valorisation of the megalithic heritage of the Pays de la Loire.

Practical information about access or visit of the site is not detailed in the sources consulted. However, its approximate location, indicated by GPS coordinates (5234 La Garnerie, 85440 Avrillé), allows researchers and visitors to locate it in a rural environment characteristic of the Vendée. This menhir, like other similar monuments, continues to attract the interest of archaeologists and local history enthusiasts.

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