The Dolmen of Gaoutabry

The largest dolmen in the Var at La Londe les MauresUnsuspected, the megaliths of Provence constitute a regional heritage wealth. Of the nearly 160 monuments listed in the Provence region, the Var has by far the largest number, with some twenty menhirs and sixty dolmens. Discovered in 1876 and excavated several times, the Gaoutabry dolmen is a collective tomb: it contained burnt human bones belonging to at least 34 individuals, accompanied by offerings (pottery, flint tools, beads). Due to the acidity of the soil and the losses caused during the first excavations, this rich material is only a pale reflection of what the tomb was originally intended to contain. The latter was the object of two periods of use: the end of the Neolithic (2800 BC) and the beginning of the Copper Age (2000 BC). The toponym "Gaoutabry" undoubtedly comes from the situation of the monument on the hillock of a hill. The Provençal "gaouto" meaning the cheek, probably evokes this summit. The adjective "gaou", meaning hot, also qualifies this funerary shelter in relation to its exposure to the sun. Built in the centre of a tumulus, now very degraded, the dolmen measures 6.5 m long by 1.5 m at its widest point, occupying nearly 10 m², which makes it the largest in surface area in the Var. Built with large slabs of schist, it has a chamber with an antechamber, of elongated rectangular shape. This architecture, typical of the dolmens of western Provence, makes it original compared to those of the Var, mostly with a simple square chamber of small size. The symbolic orientation of its entrance in the axis of the setting sun at the winter solstice is no accident. The absence of a tabular slab may be due to the nature of the materials used, probably wood as suggested by gaps between the vertical slabs. In any case, the thinness of the slabs rules out the hypothesis of a cover with a large stone slab Listed as a Historic Monument since 1988, it remains a fragile building, which has already undergone several restorations. The monument is empty of the material discovered during the excavations, which is on display at the Archaeological Museum of St Raphaël. Orientation table allowing you to discover an exceptional panorama. Follow the D88 in the direction of Collobrières, then park at the foot of the Notre Dame des Maures track. Follow the blue markings and the pictogrammed stone steles on foot. Free parking at the foot of the Notre Dame des Maures trail.