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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The menhir de la Chenillée, also known as Pierre-Debout du Champ-de-la-Pierre, Pierre de Gargantua or Pierre-Levée, is an emblematic megalithic monument located in the commune of Saint-Vincent-sur-Graon. This slightly pink granite block, measuring 4.75 metres in height with a width of 2.95 metres and an average thickness of 1.10 metres, demonstrates the importance of prehistoric constructions in this region. His alternative name, Pierre de Gargantua, evokes local legends often associated with megaliths, although its exact origin and meaning remain unknown.

The menhir was officially recognized for its heritage value and listed as historic monuments by an order dated 4 February 1988. This protection highlights its archaeological and cultural interest, while ensuring its preservation for future generations. The monument is located precisely at the following address: 9001 Route de la Blanchardière, in the hamlet of Les Boules, on the territory of Saint-Vincent-sur-Graon, in the department of Vendée.

The Pays de la Loire region, and especially the Vendée, is home to many comparable megalithic sites, reflecting an ancient human occupation and cultural practices related to the Neolithic. These monuments, often associated with funeral or religious rites, illustrate the technical skills and social organization of prehistoric communities. Their presence in the local landscape continues to attract the interest of historians and visitors, although the details of their use remain partially hypothetical in the absence of written sources.

Available sources, including bibliographical references such as Bertrand Poissonnier's Prehistoric Vendée (1997), as well as official databases such as Mérimée, provide additional information on this menhir. These documents allow us to situate the monument in a wider archaeological context, while stressing its role in the megalithic heritage of the Vendee. The approximate location, noted with an accuracy considered "fair" (level 5/10), invites further studies to refine the knowledge on this site.

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