Dozens of ancient standing stones in southwest France have been bulldozed to make room for a retail outlet for a nationwide DIY chain, triggering uproar.
The historic Montauban site in Occitania held at least 39 megalithic stones, some estimated to be around 7,000 years old. Local archaeologist Christian Obeltz told media this week that the site “has been destroyed,” .
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 insignificant 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.
The 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.