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Origin and history

The menhir dit de Pierre-Levée, also called menhir de la Vérie (or Verrie), is a megalithic monument located in Soullans, in the Vendée department, in the Pays de la Loire region. Dated from the Neolithic, it consists of an imposing quartzite block, measuring 3.71 metres in height, 3.05 metres in width and 1.10 metres in thickness, for an estimated weight of 37 tons. This menhir presents traces of human activity, including five polishing bowls spread over its two sides, although some are now invisible, buried in the ground.

Ranked as historical monuments since 3 August 1926, the menhir of Pierre-Levée has been the subject of extensive studies, such as those conducted by Marcel Baudouin in 1912. This research revealed stratigraphics of superimposed neolithic human works, illustrating the ritual or practical importance of this site to populations of the time. Menhir is part of a wider set of megalithic sites in Vendée, reflecting a dense and organized human occupation during the Neolithic period.

The sources available, notably Bertrand Poissonnier's work in La Vendée préhistorique (1997), as well as the references of the Mérimée base and Monumentum, confirm his status as a major vestige of the local prehistoric heritage. Its approximate address, 232 A Route de Challans à Soullans, allows to locate it in an environment today marked by its megalithic heritage. The accuracy of its location is assessed as "very satisfactory" (note 8/10), and photographs licensed under Creative Commons document its current appearance.

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