The sole menhir of the Ain department

Nestled in Simandre-sur-Suran, France, you will find the Pierre Fiche - a Neolithic menhir. The Ain department boasts few surviving megalithic structures, and yet, this monument is one of them. While no direct dating is available for the erection of the stone, its shape is similar to examples from the Neolithic period. The Pierre Fiche sits resolute as the only known menhir in Ain, representing one of the few megalithic monuments attested in the department.

One can't help but ponder; were there more like it, perhaps, in the past? Ancient sources mention two other neighboring standing stones that were removed in the 18th century, hinting that the site may have originally been a more complex ensemble rather than an isolated stone. The monument was officially classified as a Historic Monument on March 6, 1888.

Locally, it is whispered that the menhir and its two vanished neighbors were the hair-rags of three fairies who planted them while passing by. One of the stone's protrusions was even believed to bestow fertility upon couples who rubbed against it.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons