Hiking - Dolmen Chevresse Loop
A beautiful, primarily woodland hike offering diverse scenery, from the open meadows of the hamlets of Saint-Brisson to a beautiful beech forest at Breuil, the Deer enclosure, the Dolmen Chevresse, and Etang Taureau, which is part of the Morvan Regional Peatlands Nature Reserve; points of interest abound.
Among a multitude of deities, the Gauls worshipped several major gods, including Teutatès, god of War; Taranis, god of Thunder; and Cernunnos, god of earthly fertility. Christianity fought against these pagan deities, either by assimilating them with the devil or by Christianizing them. Cernunnos, with his popularity, dark and horned appearance, certainly represented the Devil for Christians, yet despite persecutions, he kept his followers for a very long time. It is possible that witchcraft, like legends and superstitions, originated from the ancient religion. In Morvan, traditions "smack of paganism" and witchcraft was still deeply entrenched at the beginning of the 20th century. Each village had its healing sorcerer who cast spells as well as he removed curses. Legends abound about the "Dolmen Chevresse", a natural rock formation with an evocative appearance: "sabbaths took place there. These nocturnal gatherings, out of rebellion or derision, defied all Christian doctrines. Sorcerers confessed their failure to sin there, kissed Satan, who had transformed into a goat, and attended a backwards mass where they communed with child flesh or excrement." (1)
(1) DROUILLET (Jean). Folklore du Nivernais et du Morvan, Volume IV. Ed. Bernadat. Luzy. Text by Alain Millot, Morvan Park
Good hiking boots are recommended.
Among a multitude of deities, the Gauls worshipped several major gods, including Teutatès, god of War; Taranis, god of Thunder; and Cernunnos, god of earthly fertility. Christianity fought against these pagan deities, either by assimilating them with the devil or by Christianizing them. Cernunnos, with his popularity, dark and horned appearance, certainly represented the Devil for Christians, yet despite persecutions, he kept his followers for a very long time. It is possible that witchcraft, like legends and superstitions, originated from the ancient religion. In Morvan, traditions "smack of paganism" and witchcraft was still deeply entrenched at the beginning of the 20th century. Each village had its healing sorcerer who cast spells as well as he removed curses. Legends abound about the "Dolmen Chevresse", a natural rock formation with an evocative appearance: "sabbaths took place there. These nocturnal gatherings, out of rebellion or derision, defied all Christian doctrines. Sorcerers confessed their failure to sin there, kissed Satan, who had transformed into a goat, and attended a backwards mass where they communed with child flesh or excrement." (1)
(1) DROUILLET (Jean). Folklore du Nivernais et du Morvan, Volume IV. Ed. Bernadat. Luzy. Text by Alain Millot, Morvan Park
Good hiking boots are recommended.