La Roche-aux-Fées

La Roche-aux-Fées
The dolmen in 2007
Location in Brittany, France
Alternative nameThe Fairies' Rock
LocationEsse, Brittany, France
Coordinates47°56′11″N 1°24′17″W / 47.93639°N 1.40472°W / 47.93639; -1.40472
TypeDolmen
Lengthc.20 meters
History
MaterialStone
Foundedc.2750 BC
PeriodsNeolithic

La Roche-aux-Fées (English: The Fairies' Rock) is a Neolithic gallery grave, or dolmen, located in the commune of Essé, in the French department of Ille-et-Vilaine in Brittany. Its name comes from a legend that claims that the stones were placed by fairies. The dolmen consists of more than forty stones forming a corridor four times longer than wide. Its northwest–southeast axis is on an alignment with sunrise at the winter solstice.