La Roche aux Fées: The Rock of the Fairies near Rennes

Brittany is well-known for its dolmen and megaliths. In many places you can discover the imposing stone monuments and absorb their magic. The biggest dolmen of France is The Rock of the Fairies (in French: La Roche aux Fées). You can find it south-east of Rennes in the midst of a forest. The passage-grave is divided into four chambers and was built from 41 Schist-boulders (type of slate). The size of The Rock of the Fairies is especially impressive: It measures 19.5 meters in length, six meters in width and four meters in height.

Legend of lovers

A place like The Rock of the Fairies is of course the source of many myths and legends, and one of them – how else could it be - is about the lovers. Couples can find out if their love will last by walking around the monument separately in opposite directions. Each lover needs to count the stones. Should they both count the same number, they are promised to have a bright future together.

The Rock of the Fairies was erected in the New Stone Age, around 200 years ago. However, until today it is unknown how the people of the ancient time had moved and mounted the heavy stones. Some of these weigh more than 40 tons and stem from a distance many kilometers away. This is why there are so many legends around the imposing dolmen. One legend says that the Fay Vivian one night arranged the monument together with other fairies.

By car:

La Roche aux Fées lies near Rennes, the capital of Brittany. You leave the city southwards direction Vern-sur-Seiche. Take the D41 and drive through Janzé up to Le Theil-de-Bretagne. There, change onto the D341, which takes you through the village La Roche right to the dolmen.