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Mountain Peaks

The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone

Mountain Peaks

The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone

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The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone

Name: The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone
Rating: 2

Recommended by 11 mountain bikers

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Location: Lécluse, Douai, Hauts-De-France, France

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Best Mountain Biking Routes to The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone

4.9

(14)

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1. Biache-Saint-Vaast marshes – Oisy-le-Verger Marshes loop from Arleux

62.6km

04:08

280m

Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

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Moderate

4.9

(12)

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2. Oisy-le-Verger Marshes – Beairsto Avenue loop from Haucourt

59.3km

04:09

310m

Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

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Moderate

5.0

(2)

riders

3. La Villa du Barrage – Biache-Saint-Vaast marshes loop from Biache-Saint-Vaast

48.3km

03:21

270m

Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

Didier SPETEBROODT

September 6, 2020

The menhir is classified as historical monuments on April 18, 1914. The menhir was overthrown by the Germans in 1918 and in its fall, it broke into two parts. On this occasion, it was observed that the menhir was only sunk into the ground to a depth of about 1 m, whereas according to older authors, during excavations carried out by the Marquis de la Ryanderie in 1784 the menhir sank into the ground 4 m to 5 m deep. Warning ! We are talking about the tallest menhir in the region, although it has shrunk by around 2 m over the centuries and destruction: today it stands at 3.20 meters. The origin of its name would come from a visible scratch on the stone which would have been made by the claws of the devil; according to another custom some believing to see a devil engraved on one of the faces would have given it this name. Many legends are exchanged around this stone planted in the middle of the fields. The village of Lécluse tells us the most famous story. “A fire ravaged a farmer's barn. Desperate, he made a pact with Satan: the building would be rebuilt before dawn in exchange for his soul. Remorseful, the farmer confessed everything to his wife, who had the idea to blackmail the rooster before daybreak. Panicked, Satan fled. But the next day, enraged at discovering the deception, the Demon threw one of the stones from the barn into the nearby field ... where it still stands today. The menhir can be seen from afar and is the emblem of the surroundings by its stature. It is assumed that the location of its implantation is not fortuitous, and would have been chosen almost 4,000 years ago.

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Details

Informations

Elevation 70 m

Weather

Wednesday 14 January

11°C

9°C

55 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 24.0 km/h

See rides here

Take Me There

Location: Lécluse, Douai, Hauts-De-France, France

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The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone

1. Biache-Saint-Vaast marshes – Oisy-le-Verger Marshes loop from Arleux

2. Oisy-le-Verger Marshes – Beairsto Avenue loop from Haucourt

3. La Villa du Barrage – Biache-Saint-Vaast marshes loop from Biache-Saint-Vaast

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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