Verziau from Gargantua
The Verziau von Gargantua (or Vierzeux von Gargantua , also known as Haute-Borne ) is a menhir near Sons-et-Ronchères in the north of Bois-lès-Pargny , north of Laon in the Aisne department in France .
It is about 4.0 m high and at the base about 1.5 m wide monolith made of hard sandstone . The stone is chipped off at the top on one side to about half its height. The preserved side tapers towards the top.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the menhir had a twin that was destroyed to make paving stones. It is claimed that the menhir is the same length above and in the ground, which would give it an overall height of 8.0 m. The menhir probably came from the neighboring forest of Berjaumont, where sandstone blocks are numerous.
Legend has it that a man of immense size used him to sharpen his scythe.
The menhir was classified as a monument historique in 1889 . It is one of three protected menhirs in the department .
Nearby is the Allée Couverte de la Fontaine de Sambrecourt.
See also
Web links
- Menhir dit Le Verziau de Gargantua in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
- Description and pictures (English)
- Video
Coordinates: 49 ° 45 ′ 3.6 ″ N , 3 ° 39 ′ 17.3 ″ E