Carnac Standing Stones, Brittany

Description: The area around Carnac is the most important prehistoric site in France, if not Europe, and is visited by afficionados the world over. This huge collection of standing stones – there are around 3,000 in total – have been erected in long lines – one myth is that they were Roman soldiers turned to stone by Merlin!

Location: Various locations just to the north of Carnac around D196/D119. Carnac is on the coast midway between Vannes and Lorient.

General Information: See www.carnac.fr (French only) A map of the many sites can be got from Carnac Tourist Office.

Our Recommendations: When we visited we were somewhat disappointed as you cannot get that close to the stones as pressure of visitor numbers has meant the sites have been fenced off. However, the Visitor centre at Kermario and the viewing galleries were fairly informative.

For the Children: A low key activity – the beach nearby is probably much more inviting. However the sites can be toured by bike and this may be an option for a family day out with a bit of sightseeing on the way. There are several hire companies in Carnac.

Here’s more information to make the most of your visit to Brittany: