The Carnac alignments from Le Ménec

Departure from the car park at the Ménec alignments, north of the village of Carnac.

Yellow markings + directional signs

(S/E) Head towards the west entrance/exit of the car park. At the roundabout, take the second right towards the Sentier Nord (North Path) and enter the hamlet of Ménec. After a left turn, turn right and reach the western end of the Ménec alignments (fence). Then turn right and take a wooden pontoon which is extended further by a stabilised path. Walk along a low stone wall with the alignments on your right. At the end of the path, follow a small road on the left for a few metres.

(1) Take the first path on the right signposted "route n°2" through the undergrowth. Cross a wooden footbridge and you will find the alignments on your right. At the houses, leave the path through a gap in the low wall on the right and cross diagonally across a lawn (the purple line on the IGN map is inaccurate here). When you reach a road (D119), follow it to the right and cross at the first pedestrian crossing.

(2) Return left a few metres along the road, take the first path on the right and go around a house on the right. Immediately after, at a fork, take the left path towards Kermario (the right path will be for the return journey). Go between two low walls, continue along the D196 and leave Carnac. After a small car park, follow the road on a parallel path on the left-hand side.

(3) At the Kermario car park, follow the path opposite on the left and walk along the spectacular Kermario alignments (fenced off) on your right. At the end of the path, turn right onto a gravel track between two fences. At the end, follow the road on the left (D196) and continue along the Kermario alignments, this time on your left. Pass by an old mill on the left-hand side (accessible via an internal staircase, beautiful view) and continue along the road. Pass a small house on the left-hand side.

(4) At the access to a picnic area on the right-hand side, leave the road and turn left onto a path that enters a pine forest (path not shown on the 1:25,000 map). At a fork, turn right and immediately ignore a vague path on the right. At the crossroads a few metres further on, turn left onto the most clearly marked path (there are no arrows or markers here). You will find markers further on; ignore a path on the right. At a three-way junction, turn right and, at the corner of a low wall, turn left and walk alongside the Quadrilatèrere du Manio (small alignment).

(5) Immediately on the right, you will find the menhir known as Géant du Manio. Return to the crossroads.

(5) Continue north-east on a sandy path with small rocks.

No markings

At the T-junction, turn right (ignore the yellow markings on the left). Walk alongside a riding centre and you will come to a road. Cross it and follow the path opposite (wooden sign with a green marker). Ignore a path branching off to the left, pass a fountain below on the left (Fetan ar Eutru) and stay on the main path through the woods. Go around a house on the right, then turn right and continue to a crossroads (on the left, access to the Tumulus de Kercado).

(6) Continue straight ahead and take a gravel track (private property, pedestrian access permitted, do not stray from the track). After a slight descent, ignore all turnings on the left and walk along a meadow on the right (old dovecote in the meadow).

(7) At the corner of the meadow (metal gate), turn right onto a path between two hedges. At a three-way junction, turn right and cross a stream. Stay on the gravel path and ignore any paths branching off to the sides. At the next junction (chicane), turn left onto the tarmac and walk alongside the waste collection centre on your right. At the stop sign, turn left and follow a path parallel to the road on the right-hand side.

Yellow markings
The IGN map shows the^GR®®34here, but there are no red and white markings on the section that follows.

(8) Go around the roundabout on the right and cross Rue de l'Oppidum. Then take the first path on the right and leave a wooden building on your right. Walk between two hedges and then along horse pastures (note the Chapelle Saint-Michel opposite on the hill). At the houses, continue on the tarmac.

(9) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead (ignore the yellow arrow indicating a left turn; two^{PR®® trails} intersect here). After a left turn, turn sharply right and go up a narrow lane which soon gives way to a path. At the fork, turn right. When you reach the foot of the chapel, turn left. Then take the path on the right that leads up to the chapel. At the top (calvary), turn left to the orientation table.

(10) From the orientation table, go to the chapel and go around it on the right or left. Then go down a very steep stone staircase (be careful). At the bottom, take a path on the left, passing at the foot of a double-trunked pine tree on the left. Go down and then turn left onto a path between two low walls. On a wider path, pass a fountain on the left.

(11) At the next crossroads (picnic table), turn left and cross a stream. At a fork, take the left-hand path. Continue through the undergrowth along low walls and ignore a path on the left. At the end of the path, turn left and rejoin the D119 road.

(2) Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, then cross the lawn diagonally to the right. At the end, follow the Sentier Nord trail to the left, which you took on the way there.

(1) First turn left then right and continue along the path you took on the way there. At the end, cross the hamlet of Ménec, turn left then right and, at the roundabout, you will find the car park on your left (S/E).

In dry weather, good trainers are fine, but after rain, wear hiking boots for the few wet sections.

Toilets at the Ménec car park (S/E). No water sources identified elsewhere on the route.

A detailed map is required (at least the one accompanying this description).

Variations:
- If you wish to remain at the alignments site and avoid the southern part of the hike, at the Kercado crossroads (6), take the small road on the right. At the end, follow the D196 to the left and rejoin the outward route at point (4). Follow this route in the opposite direction to the car park (S/E). This shortens the entire route by around 1.5km.
- Back at Croix Audran (2), you can take a southern route along the D196 towards Lorient and Quiberon to the car park (S/E). This shortens the entire route by around 500 metres.
- For cyclists: The Carnac alignments by bike.

Hike completed by the author on 14 September 2017.

Along the way:
- The Ménec alignments, built between the 5th and 3rd millennia BC, between (S/E) and (2).
- Kermario alignments, built between the 5th and 3rd millennia BC, between (3) and (4). These alignments feature the most spectacular menhirs, particularly near the car park (3).
- Old mill between (3) and (4), from the top of which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Kermario alignments.
- Quadrilatère du Manio (5), a moving little alignment in the undergrowth.
- Giant of Manio (5): at 6 metres high, this is the largest menhir in the area.
- Old fountain between (5) and (6).
- The Kercado Tumulus. At the crossroads (6), take the second road on the left and follow the signs. Admission fee (in September 2017, €1 per person). Dating from 4500 BC, it is one of the oldest megaliths in the region. The dolmen's capstone is in perfect condition. The tumulus was surrounded by a circle of stones, only part of which remains today.
- The imposing Saint-Michel Tumulus (10) supports the chapel.
- Saint-Michel Chapel (10). Vast panorama, particularly of the sea (orientation table). Beautiful calvary.
- Old fountain shortly before (11).

Nearby:
- The Ménec and Kermario alignments are fenced off. These measures were taken several years ago to prevent soil erosion caused by trampling and, ultimately, the loosening of the menhirs, and to allow the vegetation around the menhirs to remain. However, guided tours of the enclosures are organised by the Tourist Office for a fee.
- Carnac Prehistory Museum.
- Carnac beaches.