The Lo Morrel dos Fados dolmen (“dolmen of the Fairies’ hill” in Occitan) or dolmen de las Fadas (“dolmen of the Fairies”) is a dolmen located between Cesseras and Pépieux. It is the largest passage grave in southern France.
- Name: Dolmen Lo Morrel dos Fados (meaning “dolmen on the hill of the fairies” in Occitan)
- Other names: Dolmen des Fées (Fairy Dolmen), Palet de Roland (Roland’s Puck)
- Location: Pépieux, on the border between the departments of Aude and Hérault
- Construction period: Approximately 3500 to 3000 BC.
- Related culture: Culture of Véraza
- Status: Listed as a Historic Monument since 1969
The Lo Morrel dos Fados dolmen is the largest passage grave in southern France, with a total length of 24 meters. It consists of a 12-meter megalithic gallery, followed by a 6-meter antechamber and a terminal burial chamber. The stones used are mainly local red and gray sandstone, with the exception of the capstone of the burial chamber, which comes from an outcrop at least 3 km away.
The dolmen faces southeast/northwest and is surrounded by a circular mound approximately 35 meters in diameter. It is located on a hill covered with pine trees, offering a panoramic view of the Aude Valley.
🧱 Architectural description
The dolmen is divided into three distinct parts. :
- The corridor: Measuring 12 meters long, it is bordered by red and gray sandstone pillars alternating with dry stone walls.
- The antechamber: Six meters long, it is covered by a sandstone slab measuring approximately 6 meters long, 4 meters wide, and 1.5 meters thick, weighing around 10 tons.
- The burial chamber: It is closed off by a thick headstone slab. The transition between the different sections is provided by doors made of adjoining slabs carved in the shape of portholes.
Archaeological excavations have revealed the presence of numerous human bones, some of which bore traces of combustion, pottery shards, flint, deer antler tools, and two perforated schist discs. A riveted dagger, preserved in the Olonzac museum, bears witness to the emergence of metallurgy between 3400 and 2900 BC.
🗺️ Access and location
The dolmen is located on the Moural de las Fadas burial mound, a small hill covered with pine trees, about 1.6 km north of the village of Pépieux, on the border between the departments of Aude and Hérault. It can be reached from the D168 road between Siran and Cesseras.
