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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The growing stone is a menhir located in the commune of Eppeville, in the extreme south-east of the Somme department, in the Hauts-de-France region (former Picardie). This megalithic monument is part of an alignment of five blocks of sandstone, extending 27 meters, dated from the Neolithic. Among these blocks, the growing stone is distinguished by its flattened and triangular shape, with dimensions of 1.8 m high and 1.9 m wide at the base. Its name comes from an optical illusion created by the erosion of its base, giving the impression that it is gradually growing out of the ground. This phenomenon, amplified by climate change (rising, soil changes), has fed many unfounded popular beliefs, such as an alleged natural elevation or alien origins.

Ranked a historic monument in 1889, this menhir is associated with local legends, including Gargantua: according to folklorist Clodomir Boulanger (1900), the giant dropped these stones by shaking his hoof. Another belief is that the stone would make a turn on itself at midnight on Christmas night. These accounts, while lacking a scientific basis, illustrate the symbolic importance of the site in popular culture. The alignment of Eppeville, studied in the late 19th century (notably by M. Ponchon in 1890-1891), remains a rare testimony of megalithic practices in northern France.

The five blocks, including the most imposing stone, are protected as historical monuments under cadastre reference A 264. Their preservation allows us to study construction techniques and neolithic beliefs, although their exact function (territorial marker, ritual site, etc.) remains debated. The site, accessible to the public, is referenced in the Mérimée base and documented by sources such as Monumentum and the works of Pierre Saint-Yves (1936). Its state of conservation and its approximate location (map precision noted 5/10) highlight the challenges of its heritage presentation.

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