Can you help lift up first stone at Brittany's new 'Stonehenge' site?

Stone Breizh, a Stonehenge-like site in central Brittany, is looking for 200 or more volunteers to lift up the first stone at its site on July 3.

The 8.3-metre-high stone will be placed at the centre of a megalithic site of 36 menhirs designed to celebrate the region and its people, resembling the iconic Wiltshire site.

It will be lifted during an afternoon ceremony in Carhaix, a commune of 7,000 residents in the heart of Brittany.

Read more: A new Stonehenge-like site set to be built in central Brittany

Volunteers are asked to apply on Stone Breizh’s website and need to be available from 14:00 to late in the afternoon. The event is free of charge.

“I wanted to erect Stone Breizh like the people of Stonehenge would have over 5,000 years ago,” Philippe Abjean, the founder of the project and also the creator of the Vallée des Saints monolithic site, told The Connexion.

Mr Abjean has constructed a bannister rail with wooden logs to help lift up and lay the stone into a 1.7-metre-deep hole, in which it will be orientated according to the sun’s rays. Once erected, the stone will be decorated with images of the Holy Grail and a spear.

This will happen during a traditional ceremony in which druids will sacralise the area.

Mr Abjean hopes Stone Breizh will become a place to celebrate the summer solstice or Saint John’s Eve on June 23.

The ceremony was initially planned for June 21, 2022 to match with the summer solstice but was postponed on the request of the local mairie, Mr Abjean said.

Stone Breizh will be located in Penn Ar Roz, two kilometres west of Carhaix along the D236 road, on a 25-hectare plot of land. It will consist of three circles made of stones, pebbles, trees and artistic creations, covering nearly 30,000m², according to the plans.

Funds needed

Stone Breizh is appealing for charity donations to fund the increasing cost of its menhirs, following a rise in raw material and transport costs following the Covid lockdowns.
Its creators wish to attract 1,415 donors to match the numbers of communes in Brittany.

Mr Abjean expects more stones to be erected over the summer, using the Vallee of Saints – where 164 statues have already been installed – as a point of reference.

The process should see three to seven stones laid per year during the spring and summer months if funds are collected fast enough, which is likely to happen.

“It is a project for the next 5,000 years,” said Mr Abjean.

“I just hope it will not take 5,000 years!”

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