West Virginia University in Vendée, France

Le CAIRN
(Centre Archéologique d'Initiation et de Recherche sur le Néolithique)

(Dr. V. Lastinger prepares to enter the Dolmen de la Frébouchère)

WVU-V will include the exploration of the past, the present, and the future.  One of our visits to the deepest past will include a trip to the stone age sites just a few miles from Les Sable d'Olonne in Saint-Hilaire La Forêt.  Le CAIRN will allow us to visit authentic archeological digs as well as some of the most impressive pre-historic monuments in the world.  You have likley heard of Carnac in Brittany, France or of Stonehenge in England.  Below are a few of the "old stones" that survive in Vendée.
 
 

If your eyes, your monitor, and your French are good,  you'll find a few interesting facts in this SIGN (38 Kb).  Can you tell when the dolmen was built?  When it was restored?  How much the roof weighs?
 
  Dr. Lastinger dares enter and stand under a roof this old and this heavy? (14 Kb)
 

Alexander Lastinger does an imitation of his favorite comic book hero, Obélix, the transporter of the giant upright stones called menhirs and faithful friend of the Gaulish comic book hero, Astérix. (14 Kb )

Note:  with a little French you can remember the difference between the most common European neolithic monuments.  A "dolmen" is like a table and in French: "les dolmens dorment."  A "menhir" is like an obelisque, pointing to the sky:  "les menhirs montent!"


Vous êtes le visiteur numéro Hit Counter aux pages de Michael Lastinger.