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Origin and history

The menhir dit la Pierre-Fitte, also named Pignon de Sainte-Aubierge or Pierre de Sainte-Flodoberthe, is a megalithic monument located in the commune of Beautheil, Seine-et-Marne. Dated from Neolithic, it presents itself as a large slab of sandstone measuring 3.50 meters high, with a base of 2.40 meters wide and an average thickness of 50 centimetres. A notable feature is the presence of an oblique groove of 2 meters long, 4 centimetres wide and deep d No archaeological discovery was made during the excavations at his foot, allowing questions to be raised about his original use.

Ranked as historical monuments in 1889, this menhir is associated with a local legend involving St.Flodoberthe and his sister Saint Aubierge. According to this oral tradition, Saint Flodoberthe, having completed the construction of his chapel in Amillis, would have wished to offer this stone to his sister for his own chapel in Saint Augustin. On the way, however, she met Saint Aubierge, who announced that she had completed her building. The stone was then abandoned. The groove visible on the east side of the menhir would, according to legend, be the result of the friction of the handle of St.Flodoberthe's quail, which ran while carrying the stone.

The menhir illustrates both the megalithic heritage of the Île-de-France and the folk tales that have grafted onto these prehistoric monuments. Its ranking in 1889 shows an early interest in preserving the neolithic remains in France. Today, there remains a point of historical and tourist interest for the region, although its access and precise location are sometimes discussed due to approximate geographical data.

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