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Chateau Bû - information and guide

Site Type:

Burial Chamber

Last Visit:
Sunday 2nd May 2010
Country:

France

Region:
Coordinates:
Latitude: 47.7650 Longitude: -1.9850
Site Ranking:
Directions:

Map
Either park in St. Just and walk along the Rue de l'Abbe Corbe until a footpath over the heath becomes visible to the right, or park in the small car park located in the woods near the village to the west. A footpath leads south from there. Follow this path through the complex until Chateau Bû is reached. I didn't find the signposting particularly helpful.

Chateau Bû is a Neolithic chambered burial cairn that forms part of the St Just complex. It is highly atypical, topped with a small circle of stones and four large menhirs (one toppled). The cairn may have been subject to restoration work, but information is difficult to come by.

In 'Megalithic Brittany', Aubrey Burl tells us: "Tradition has it that each year in ancient times a young girl was sacrificed on the mound on an altar specially built for the occasion. The meaning of Chateau Bû is obscure, but Bû may derive from the Breton word for cattle, bulls having an important role in the religious celebrations of Brittany."

The cairn is currently fenced off and surrounded by thick vegetation. Viewing is only possible from a few angles. Nevertheless, this is easily one of the more fascinating and visually striking monuments at the St. Just complex, and very much worth a visit.