Pierre debout, Prehistoric menhir in Colombiers-sur-Seulles, France.
Pierre debout is a limestone block standing about 2.2 meters tall near a Roman road connecting Reviers to Bayeux, with a cavity at its summit. The monument rests on a concrete base that anchored it during an earlier restoration.
The stone was broken and toppled in 1845 by the many pilgrims who climbed it. Its base was lost, so the upper part was sealed onto a concrete block and re-erected at its original height. It has been classified as a monument historique since 1889, and its surroundings were listed as an archaeological site in 1914.
Young women placed coins at the top during pilgrimages to Notre-Dame de la Délivrande, believing this would help them find husbands. The practice reveals how a prehistoric monument gained religious meaning in later centuries.
The stone stands on a small grass meadow east of the village, beside the old Roman road from Reviers to Bayeux and close to the calvary. It is reached on foot from the village; there are no facilities at the spot. The Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus lies about 900 m to the east, so both can be seen on one walk.
A cup-shaped hollow, or cupule, is visible at the top of the stone. The German source notes it is probably not of prehistoric origin, so its date remains uncertain. Several Merovingian burials were also found near the stone.
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