Dozens of ancient standing stones in southwest France have been bulldozed to make room for yet another retail outlet of a nationwide chain selling DIY products, triggering uproar among locals.
The historic Montauban site “has been destroyed,” with at least 39 megalithic stones, some estimated to be around 7,000 years old, lost, local archaeologist Christian Obeltz told media this week.
The French commune of Carnac is famous for thousands of so-called menhirs – standing stones erected by neolithic people for purposes that remain a mystery. However, unlike the area’s main tourist attractions of Menec, Kermario and Kerlescan, which are on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites – the set of stones in Montauban, just 1.5 kilometers away, has little historic value, according to local officials.
“Given the uncertain and in any case non-major character of the remains, as revealed by checks, damage to a site of archaeological value has not been established,” the Regional Office of Cultural Affairs for Brittany told AFP news agency in a statement.
39 #menhirs vieux de plus de 7000 ans détruits en catimini à #Carnac pour construire un magasin de Mr. Bricolage : c’était bien la peine d’aller au Mont-#Saint-Michel.Pauvre patrimoine français !La marchandisation du monde prépare l’homme sans souvenirs. pic.twitter.com/XqbLDN9EQ6
— Philippe de Villiers (@PhdeVilliers) June 7, 2023The local mayor has insisted that he “followed the law,” and that the construction permit was granted last August only after archaeologists had conducted the required studies.
However, Obeltz claimed there were no “archaeological excavations in order to know if the stones were menhirs or not.” He also accused local authorities of rushing to greenlight the development before activists had finished applying for UNESCO protection.
The popular French retail chain Mr Bricolage, which offers home improvement goods, is currently building a new store at the site. Its spokesperson said the company “sincerely regrets” the incident, but reiterated that authorities granted them full authorization to proceed.
