Carnac

Carnac (Breton= Karnag) is a village and commune beside the Gulf of Morbihan on the south coast of Brittany () and part of the Morbihan département of northwestern France. Its inhabitants are called Carnacois. Carnac is renowned for the Carnac stones, one of the most extensive neolithic menhirs collections in the world, as well as its beaches popular with tourists.

Carnac, found on a narrow peninsula halfway between the medieval town Vannes and the seaside resort Quiberon, is split into two centres - Carnac-Ville and Carnac-Plage (the beach front). In total there are five beaches, including la Grande Plage, and further to the east, Plage Men Dû and Beaumerhttp://www.pvf.dircon.co.uk/BCH-4B(Carnac).html.

Neighboring communes

Carnac is connected to La Trinité-sur-Mer to the east by road and by a shared pedestrian/bike path along the beach. The other neighbouring communes are Crach, Erdeven, Ploemel and Plouharnel.

Standing stones

Carnac is famous as the site of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones. The stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by Merlin (Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian cycle).

The Carnac stones were erected during the Neolithic period which lasted from around 4500 BC until 2000 BC. The precise date of the stones is difficult to ascertain as little dateable material has been found beneath them, but c.3300 BC is commonly attributed to the site's main phase of activity. One interpretation of the site is that successive generations visited the site to erect a stone in honour of their ancestors.

History

In 1864, La Trinité-sur-Mer and its port were separated from the commune, to create their own parish. The fishermen found the church Saint-Cornély to be too far from the port, and had one built in a more convenient location. La Trinité-sur-Mer thus became both a parish and a separate commune.

In 1903, a seaside resort was created on the old salt flats, developing extensively through the 1950s to create the split Carnac of today: Carnac-ville and Carnac-plage. In 1974, a renowned hydrotherapy centre was sponsored by champion cyclist Louison Bobet, retiring after having won the Tour de France three times from 1953 to 1955.

Other sights around Carnac

There are a number of camping grounds in the woods around Carnac, some clustered around various lakes such as the Etang du moulin du lac which is immediately to the west of the river Crac'h.

Sources

Carnac: Guide pratique 2006 (provided by Carnac tourist office)

External links

Carnac official website
Carnac at france-for-visitors.com (includes map)

Archaeological sites in France | Communes of Morbihan | Coastal towns in Brittany