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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The menhir des Pierres Couches, also called menhir de la Pierre de Couche, is a megalithic monument located in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, in the Loire-Atlantique department (Pays de la Loire region). This block of quartz sandstone, about 2 metres high and 1 metre thick, has a characteristic triangular shape. It reflects the human activity and cultural practices of the Neolithic period in this region.

Ranked as historical monuments by order of 10 October 1977, this menhir belongs to the commune of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins. Its local name, Pierre de Couche, reflects an oral tradition or popular interpretation of its elongated form. The site is part of a larger set of megaliths present in the Loire-Atlantique, illustrating the importance of these constructions in prehistoric societies.

Menhirs, like that of the Couches Stones, were probably linked to ritual, funeral or territorial functions. Their Neolithic erection coincides with the development of agriculture, the sedentarization of populations and the emergence of complex social structures. Although the details specific to this menhir remain partially unknown, its classification in 1977 underscores its heritage and archaeological value for the understanding of this era.

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