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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Pierre de Gargantua, also known as Roche des Prés, is a menhir located in the commune of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, Loire-Atlantique. This block of granite, dated from Neolithic, is 1.45 m high for a similar width and thickness between 0.30 and 0.40 m. Much of its base could be buried in the surrounding marshy soil, limiting its current visibility.

According to a local legend, the giant Gargantua tried to build a bridge over the Loire by laying stones there. After failing to remove them, they would have remained frozen in the ground, giving birth to this menhir. This folk history illustrates the popular imagination associated with megaliths, often attributed to superhuman forces.

The monument was officially recognized for its heritage value and classified as historic monuments by order of 6 June 1973. It is referred to as Menhir dit La Pierre de Gargentua or La Roche des Prés in official databases, such as Mérimée. Its precise location is estimated at the approximate address of the 6 Impasse des Roseaux, although geographical accuracy is considered poor (level 5/10).

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