Did you know? The largest dolmen in Île-de-France is hidden in the Rambouillet forest.

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This sandstone megalith, supported by four pillars, consists of a sacrificial table, probably erected by the Carnutes, a people of Celtic Gaul. Classified as a historic monument in 1906, its burial chamber was emptied and hollowed out to serve as an animal shelter at the end of the 18th century, causing it to lose a fifth of its size - otherwise it would have been even bigger! Surrounded by legends, this dolmen planted in a clearing has been a mystery and a sacred site for several millennia...

While some believe that the block was deposited by fairies, the most likely explanation is that our Gallic ancestors moved it from a quarry 2 kilometers away, according to local historian Christian Rouet, an arduous journey that gave the stone its name. According to another legend, the dolmen served as a stepping stone for the Virgin Mary during her Assumption... Not that the Church was convinced!

Surrounded by mistletoe-covered oaks, the site could have cured all ills; the stone could also have served as a demarcation between the Carnutes and the Parisii; it could have been the tomb of an illustrious man of the time - so many possibilities that we'll surely never elucidate! What is certain is that, according to photographs, a forest ranger's house, now totally lost, stood next to it.

Located near Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines, this dolmen is easy to spot on a nature walk, as the GR 1 route passes right by it. You can park close to this point of interest, about 20 minutes' walk away, at the Bornes du Planet parking lot. While there's nothing extraordinary about the stone apart from its unexpected presence in the middle of the Yvelines forest, the surrounding landscape is made up ofremarkable trees, and resembles the Landes, with its heather, pines and ferns.

It's a great place to take a breather, and who knows, you might even come across a few fairies!