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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Menhirs des Dames de pierre are two erect stones dating from the Neolithic, located in the commune of Pont-Saint-Martin, in the Loire-Atlantique department. Located 200 metres from Rue des Sports, near the tennis court, these megaliths were registered as historical monuments by order of 4 May 1982. Their precise location is indicated as the Hamlet of the Passerelle, with a geographical accuracy deemed fair (level 5/10).

These menhirs are associated with a medieval legend dating back to the sixth century, involving Saint Martin de Vertou. According to this oral tradition, the pagan city of Herbauges, located at the present site of Lake Grand-Lieu, was swallowed up by the waters in 555 AD in punishment for its debauchery. A couple and their son, the only inhabitants to have welcomed the saint, were spared but transformed into stone for disobeying the ban on turning to the missing city. Menhirs would thus symbolize their metamorphosis.

The legend adds that on Christmas nights, the Herbauges bells would still resonate under the waters of the lake. This account illustrates the anchoring of Christianity in the region, combining evangelization and popular beliefs. Menhirs, although of neolithic origin, were thus reinterpreted by medieval communities as vestiges of divine punishment, reinforcing their symbolic dimension.

Administratively, the menhirs are referenced in the Merimée base under plots A 777 and A 779. Their protection as historical monuments underscores their heritage value, both archaeological and cultural. No information is available on their current accessibility or integration into a tourist journey.

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