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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Menhir de la Demoiselle de Bracqueville, also known as l'Épinette or la Pierre plante, is a megalithic monument located near the hamlet of Bracqueville, in the commune of Bény-sur-Mer, Calvados. This small block of Bathon limestone, of local origin, is 1.40 m high with a width ranging from 0.70 m at the base to 0.20 m at the top. Its irregular top has a small bowl to the northwest, evoking a cupula.

Menhir was first reported by archaeologist A. de Mortillet. It was classified as historical monuments by order of 28 December 1933. Its popular name, "Demoiselle", comes from a local legend: during the night of the full moon, its silhouette recalls that of a veiled young woman.

This monument is representative of the megalithic sites of Calvados, an area rich in prehistoric remains. It illustrates the cultural and religious practices of neolithic communities, which erected these stones for reasons that were still partially mysterious, but often linked to funeral beliefs or rituals.

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