Alignements of Carnac

We had a 1-hour tour with “le petit train” as it was raining and before the tour we visited the museum (free entrance) and watched an interesting movie. We were astonished by the number of megalithes and their alignment and happy that the train went in all the major sites around Carnac. The train did not stop and we were not allowed to get down of the train, but in any case all the sites were protected by fences and you could see the megalithes from outside - good decision in order to protect them from people writing their names everywhere. We saw the “Alignements” de Kerlescan, Manio, Kermario et Menec and the place where is (inside, close for visits these days) the Tumulus of St Michel. We were impressed and wonder what is the mystery behind these megalithes.

Legendary & Iconic Historical site If you are a history buff like me then this is the place to come to in France. This place is unique because it is so large, in fact the menhirs are spread on a vast area of a few kilometers. Some are actually now in the sea as some of the peninsulas did not exist in the old days all those millenium ago. It is also really interesting to think that whilst the Egyptians where building the other Karnak, we were building this in Europe. Which really is a lot less impressive, we were basically raising stone and spreading them out. Still this site is amazing so vast so beautiful, even feels peaceful. To be noted at this day nobody knows really what happened to the civilization that created this, all sorts of theories exist. One of the most probable is that they were swamp out by sea level increase and therefore had to abandon these lands. I highly recommend visiting Carnac!

Visiting in May by foot from Carnac, there was no charge to walk around the outside of the site (there was no option to get inside the fence). The stones are tremendous, I have visited a great deal of sites from this period in the UK and could not believe the sheer scale of it. And this is just one of many "alignments" in Carnac. Well worth a visit and Carnac, the beach, and whole area are beautiful as well.

Essential to visit but worth knowing you can't walk through the menhirs unless you are on a guided tour. Visitor centre is worth having a look around and gives a lot of history and context to the site.

Fields full of menhirs.. Nobody understands what the meaning is till today. Take an 8 km walk or tour train/bus. Reasonable large main parking place and several small ones in the area. Visitor center also with guided walk tour and toilets available. Really cool to see.

The Carnac stones are like nothing I’ve ever seen — thousands of ancient rocks lined up perfectly across the landscape. You can’t walk among them, but the viewing paths give you plenty of great angles to take it all in. It’s one of those places that leaves you wondering about the people who built it and why.

Fascinating place. Good place to walk 3-4 km circular routes. Paths lead through megaliths, woodlands and beautiful wildflower meadows. Lots of birdsong and picnic tables. There is even a crepariarie and glace shop en route 2. Local places hire cycles which you can use to ride around and there is a road train or tuk tuks from Carnac for people who less able. It does get quite warm! Visitor center and gift shop offer lots more info plus tours. We went mid may and blessed with gorgeous weather which helped with enjoyment of the place

Visiting the alignments is an unforgettable experience and an absolute must if you're in the region! It's a magical place that both kids and adults will find fascinating,perfect for a family adventure. The megaliths stretch across a vast and stunning landscape, and to make the most of your visit, I highly recommend starting at "La Maison des Mégalithes". This visitor center is full of engaging information and offers free maps, self-guided materials, and even guided tours, if you want to dive deeper into the history and mystery of this incredible place. Whether you choose to explore on your own or join a tour, you're in for something truly special. ⚠️Just keep in mind that this is a fragile monument, and it needs all of us to help preserve it. So please, follow the rules set by the caretakers, respect the site, and let's make sure this wonder stays intact for generations to come.

History to Consider As part of our group tour, we were brought to this historic site. I can confidently say that none of us, all Americans, on the tour had any idea of the existence of these people in the area and at this site. What a treasure and a mystery to this day. We used the mini-train tour. Due to the very narrow roads and the vast area covered by the site, a narrated tour is a very good option here. I can appreciate the need to have the sites fenced off due to the fragile nature of the grounds.

These are truly amazing - you can no longer walk amongst them but can drive right alonside them and they seem to stretch on forever, then you turn a couple of corners and there's more! The museum and AV show says something about the history, but really the thing is to see them yourself. They're particularly atmospheric at sunrise and sunset - I got some great photos there on the solstice. If they're this amazing to us now, imagine what people thought of them 3000 years ago! The little train leaves outside the exhibition and travels through the towns of Carnac and La Trinité before travelling the length of the stones. It takes around an hour but is a good way to view the full length of them and has a good commentary explaining them.

The Stonehenge of France - there are multiple sites close together where you can roam around freely amongst these massive rocks. There are hardly any information placards or directions for tourists, so we used our Lonely Planet to sort of figure it out. There is a small visitor's center with parking and then you essentially run across traffic to get to the main megalith site. We spent a good hour and half here and enjoyed it thoroughly. Just remember to bring sunscreen and grab a map at the visitor's center as most of it is self-guided. Definitely recommended.