Tumulus des Mousseaux: a prehistoric pause in the hills above Pornic

For those staying in an open-air hotel Slow Villagethe Mousseaux tumulus is an ideal stopover.

On the peaceful heights of Pornicjust a stone's throw from the sea, the Mousseaux tumulus invites you to take a break. A real one. The kind where you leave the hectic pace of everyday life behind and let yourself be carried away by the tranquil force of a thousand-year-old site.

Here, the stones are not frozen in a museum. They are there, in the open air, bathed in light and enveloped by vegetation. More than 5,000 years old, they tell the story of those who, long before us, chose these lands to honor their dead and pay their respects in the midst of nature.

A place of remembrance, built with care

What's striking is the precision of the layout. The stones are not there by chance. They enclose two megalithic tombs, each accessible via a corridor that opens onto the south-east façade. Inside, the burial chambers are arranged symmetrically, according to a plan known as "transepté" - typical of this region of the Loire-Atlantique. The tumulus is one of the few examples of this type of architecture in France, bearing witness to an ancestral know-how rooted locally.

A silent presence in the middle of nature

The Mousseaux tumulus is not an isolated site. It was once part of a vast necropolis that stretched across the heights of Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer. Even today, despite the surrounding housing developments, it retains a surprisingly intimate atmosphere. The sea is close, the wind is blowing, the pines are watching. It's a discreet place that doesn't try to impress, but invites you to enjoy a timeless experience.

The origins of the tumulus: five thousand years of open-air history

Behind the silent stones of the Mousseaux tumulus lies a fascinating story. Long forgotten, then rediscovered and studied, this site bears witness to an ancient, attentive human presence, deeply linked to its environment.

A memory buried for over five millennia

The Mousseaux tumulus has its roots in the Neolithic period, around 3500 BC. It's not just a funerary monument, it's a fragment of prehistoric life, part of the landscape for over 5,000 years. Back then, the region's earliest builders carefully crafted these burial mounds with respect for the dead, but also with a strong connection to the land. This tumulus, with its transept chambers and meticulous architecture, reflects an entire world: its beliefs, its gestures, its intelligence.

Under the ground, objects speak

From the 19th century onwards, the site aroused curiosity. Successive excavations revealed pottery, tools, polished axes, animal remains... all precious traces that gradually pieced together the puzzle of a distant era. In the 1970s, a modern excavation campaign led to a better understanding of the structure of the Mousseaux tumulus and the identification of objects typical of the Chassean culture, now on display at the Musée Dobrée in Nantes. These finds tell us a great deal about the site, and are the symbol of an ancient, attentive and deeply-rooted human presence.

A heritage protected by past and present residents

Classified as a Historic Monument as early as 1889, the Mousseaux tumulus has survived the centuries thanks to men and women attached to their land. It is said that Joseph Rousse, poet and general councillor for the canton of Pornic, fought to preserve the site, convinced of its patrimonial importance. Even today, this fragile place continues to be protected, shared and told. And this is perhaps the most beautiful part of its history: the human chain that, for generations, has kept the tumulus alive!

A discreet site to discover step by step

There are no barriers, no queues, no set itineraries. Discover the Mousseaux tumulus at your own pace, in the silence and simplicity of a place open to nature.

A place to roam freely

At the Mousseaux tumulus, there's no hurry. You advance slowly, attracted by the strange shape of the cairn, guided by the light, the wind, and that special calm you sometimes feel when faced with a place inhabited by time. Here, nothing shouts. The stones speak low, but they speak true. You stop, look and imagine. Each step is a way to anchor yourself, to connect with something bigger, something older. It's not a grandiose site, but it's precisely its simplicity that touches. It doesn't seek to impress, only to exist, humbly, in harmony with its surroundings.

Guided tours to take you further

For those who wish to go further, occasional tours are organized by the Tourist Office of Pornic, in partnership with the association AMER (Mégalithes en Retz). Baptised "Si les pierres pouvaient parler..." ("If stones could speak..."), they give the Mousseaux tumulus a human and passionate voice. Through the stories told by the guides, the site is brought back to life. The gestures of the builders, funerary rites and archaeological hypotheses mingle with the raw beauty of the landscape.

A slow stage at the heart of your tour

Whether you discover the tumulus on your own or with your family, with a guide or on a trail, the experience is serene, respectful of the environment and open to all. The site is just a few minutes' walk from La Noëveillard beach, along paths that weave links between landscape, memory and sea horizon. You arrive quietly, leave silently. And in between, the magic happens. The result is a simple yet profound sense of pride: that of having walked in the footsteps of a distant past, at your own pace.

Before setting off to visit the tumulus: practical information

Just a stone's throw from the sea, between the village of Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer and the Noëveillard beach, the Mousseaux tumulus is easy to get to. You can get there on foot or by bike, by taking one of the hiking trails that wind around Pornic: the Sainte-Marie circuit or the romantic seaside landscape circuit. Access is free all year round, making it an ideal stop-off point for a family outing, a morning getaway or a break at the end of the day.

For those who wish to enrich their discovery, guided tours are offered from time to time by the Tourist Office of Pornic, in partnership with the AMER association. These shared moments allow you to take another look at the site, to go into detail, to make the link between what you see and what you feel. The rest of the time, you just have to be there. Walk softly, look around, and let the stones do their work.

There are places that only reveal themselves to those who take the time to approach them. The Mousseaux tumulus is one such place. It's not a set, nor a frozen vestige, but a living space that has always stood between sea and sky.

For those staying at a Slow Village open-air hotel, a visit here is an ideal way to extend a parenthesis of calm, simplicity and reconnection with yourself and your surroundings. You may leave without words, but with the rare impression of having touched on something essential.