Doigt de Gargantua, Neolithic menhir in Plévenon, France
The Doigt de Gargantua is a Neolithic standing stone located in Plévenon in Brittany. This simple granite monument stands along the hiking path that connects the village to Fort la Latte.
This standing stone dates from the Neolithic period and is among the oldest human structures in the region. It remains from an era when communities erected such stones for significant purposes.
Local legends link this stone to the mythical giant Gargantua, who supposedly crossed the English Channel and left marks on the landscape. This mythological connection gives the monument its name and cultural meaning in the region.
The monument is easily accessible on foot via a hiking trail that connects the village with the fort. The path is straightforward to follow, though sturdy footwear is recommended, especially in wet conditions.
This stone has carried several names over the centuries, including Gargantua's Stick, Needle, and Tooth, reflecting how locals interpreted its appearance differently across time. These changing names reveal shifting ways that people made sense of the monument.
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