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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Menhir des Roches-Baritaud, also known as the Menhir du Pré de la Pierre, is a block of granite about 3 meters high, located in Saint-Germain-de-Prinçay, in the Vendée department. Reported for the first time by Gobert in 1864, he measured 3.30 metres, suggesting a possible embankment at his base since that time. This megalithic monument is a testimony of the prehistoric architecture of the Neolithic, period marked by the erection of stones erected for probably ritual or commemorative purposes.

According to Abbé Baudry's observations in 1871, the Roches-Baritaud site originally housed three menhirs and one dolmen. A second menhir, made of quartzite, had already disappeared by that date, while a third, measuring about 2.50 metres, was located 500 metres east. Marcel Baudouin also evokes the presence of a dolmen, potentially identifiable as that of the Amadon, located 900 meters east. These elements suggest a larger megalithic ensemble, now partially extinct.

The Menhir des Roches-Baritaud was classified as historic monuments in two stages, in 1983 and 1987, thereby recognizing its heritage importance. This classification protects a rare vestige of the Neolithic period in the Pays de la Loire region, where megalithic sites are relatively numerous but often fragmentary. Studies, such as those of Bertrand Poissonnier and Roger Joussaume, help document its history and archaeological context.

The precise location of the menhir is indicated as being at Roches-Baritaud, at approximately 12 Les Roches Baritaud, in the commune of Saint-Germain-de-Prinçay. This site, although partially altered by time, remains a point of interest for the study of funeral and ritual practices of Neolithic in Vendée. Available sources, such as Wikipedia and Monumentum, as well as bibliographical references, allow us to trace its evolution and its protection over the centuries.

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