Carnac has rows of neolithic standing stones.

Well at least standing stones that were erected during neolithic times. 4500 - 3000 BC.

We were last here in 1997. The area has become better known, fenced, and a visitor centre built.

As was the gate to the alignments opposite the Megalith Visitor Centre.

So these are some of the Kermario alignments.

We couldn't decide if they were the most visited because the gate was open or they are larger than most.

It would have been covered in stones and earth when first built.

More that the stone is tall than Ali is short!

All (except Ali) are local granite.

The alignments extend for a couple of hundred metres and are up to 10 (our estimate) rows wide.

Nearest we've seen previously was at Avebury in England, but that was simply two rows forming a single avenue.

Not sure if the cavern underneath is a result of archeological excavation, or part of a burial.

The height inside seems to suit people who are less than 5' 2" or thereabouts.

We missed the crossed axes engraved on one of the stones.

At the entrance to the cairn was an older map of the area showing many more interesting features than the simplistic map of things near the main road that is now supplied by the visitor centre.

The stones have been "restored" and probably bordered a long barrow or cairn.

With our now vast experience of things neolithic (!!!) in various countries it felt like a dubious 20th century reconstruction. 

Signposted to Caen.

A long barrow to us.

With most of its roof stones removed.

And the sun came out to remove some of the mystique and warm us up a bit. 

A bit larger than most.

Repeat after me .... the boat is at 14:30 not 13:30 as all the info says.

The dolmen is the bit in the middle with the heavy roof stones. The cairn is the pile of stones and earth covering it.

Gavrinis is noted for the carving of side stones in the passage and tomb.

Cameras not allowed but we were.

Reminiscent of carving round the Clovis cairns in Scotland but on a much grander scale. Perhaps soft granite and hard quartz to carve helped.

Tending to be patterns rather than literal or abstract art.

Its a 10 minute boat ride to the island. The guide was included and turned our usual 10 minute walk around into a 1 hour talk we couldn't understand that sounded like what we'd already read in the pamphlets provided and repeated on interpretive signs.. 

The boat returned to Larmor Baden by circumnavigating the island.

The sea has risen a bit since the cairn was built.

The 17 tonne main roof slab has been identified as having been a broken one third of a tall stone from further west. Since the carving used to identify it was on the top surface a fair amount of 20th century rebuilding has probably gone into the cairn.

At the time of building these were hills, not islands. The Golfe du Morbihan was flooded by the sea later.

Of course in this large area there are more megaliths, dolmens, cairns and barrows that we haven't seen than we have.

Sadly nearby Petit Mont, similar to Gavrinis, is apparently closed for the season.

Perhaps mussels or similar.

The parking area is being reworked but the digger and roller obligingly stopped work around 5pm.

Looks like it scared off any other motorhomes though.