LA GRAND PIERRE
(INACCESSIBLE EN VOITURE !)
Cette cache a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir un des plus beaux menhirs du département ainsi que la réserve naturelle qui l’abrite.
Réserve naturelle nationale des vallées de la Grand-Pierre et Vitain
La réserve s’étend sur presque 300ha sur les communes d’Averdon et de Marolles et est à la confluence de la vallée sèche de la Grand Pierre et de la vallée de la Cisse.
Ce site est le point de rencontre de 400 espèces de plantes d’origine atlantique, méditerranéenne et montagnarde,
mais également de nombreux animaux (oiseaux, insectes, …)
http://www.reserves-naturelles.org/vallees-de-la-grand-pierre-et-vitain
A propos du menhir
Le terme "menhir" est construit à partir du breton maen, "pierre", et hir, "longue".
Les mégalithes, menhirs et dolmens apparaissent au néolithique. Ce sont probablement des monuments funéraires.
Le Loir-et-Cher comporte 89 sépultures communément appelées dolmens et 43 menhirs situés le long des principales vallées (Loir, Cisse, Cher, …), la Loire exceptée.
Les menhirs, souvent indicateurs de sépultures, ont pu être également des jalons ou des limites de territoires.
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LA GRAND PIERRE
THE BIG STONE
(ENGLISH VERSION)
(NO DRIVE-IN)
Dear foreign visitors, here is an English translation of the description above. I hope it will be helpful!
The aim of this geocache is to show you one of the most beautiful menhir of the Loir-et-Cher and to give you a few explanations about the protected wildlife park where it stands.
Valleys of "La Grand Pierre" and "Vitain" protected wildlife park
The protected wildlife park spreads over near 300ha on the cities of Averdon and Marolles. It is the confluence of the dry valley of "La Grand Pierre" and the valley of the Cisse.
This site is the meeting point of 400 botanical species from Atlantic, Mediterranean and montane origins but also of several animals (birds, insects, ...).
You can find more details on this website but sorry, there is no English version :
http://www.reserves-naturelles.org/vallees-de-la-grand-pierre-et-vitain
About the menhir
The word "menhir" is build with two words from the Bretagne area : maen, meaning "stone", and hir, meaning "long".
Megalithic structures, menhirs and dolmen appeared at the neolithic age.
Loir-et-Cher have 89 sepultures usually called dolmens and 43 menhirs placed along the main valleys (Loir, Cisse, Cher, …), excepted the Loire.
Menhirs often indicate funeral monuments, but they could have been milestones or territory limits.
About the cache
As this cache is located in a protected area, you can't reach it by car !
You can park your car on the specified waypoint.The cache is less than 10 minutes walk from the car park.
But you could also go further if you enjoy the walk.
Thanks a lot to PapaLo for the camouflage.
Thanks to you, dear geocachers, to take care of it and to put it back the same way you found it before you left.
Finally, you have to take care of the nature while you are searching.
This cache is a 1.5 difficulty level cache, so you don't need to do archaeological excavations :)
Thank you for your understanding.
In the same style
If you like megalithic structures, I recommend you these close geocaches :
The dolmen of the Pierre Levée at La Chapelle Vendômoise (GC3KQ1D) by Minautore
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3KQ1D_serie-saint-bohaire-3-dolmen-de-la-pierre-levee
Dolmens of la Glandée (GC4ZFCN), of la carrière (GC3RQNF) and of la pie (GC4ZFH5) at Landes-le-Gaulois by Mic41
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4ZFCN_dolmen-de-la-glandee
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3RQNF_le-dolmen-de-la-carriere
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4ZFH5_dolmen-de-la-pie
The dolmen of Cornevache (GC1Z8Z6) at Selommes by Maribal
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1Z8Z6_cornevache
PODIUM
