Stone circles of Lous Couraus

High above the village of Bilhères, on the plateau du Bénou, 16 circles of stones known as Lous Couraus sit in a prominent and carefully chosen position. Built systematically on mamelons, these 16 stone circles in the commune of Bilhères, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, are a part of the Pyrénées béarnaises.

Other stone circles are found throughout the valley of Ossau at all altitudes, such as in Aste-Béon and in the commune of Laruns. The cercle Violaine in the vallon de Soussouéou is a notable example of the larger circles found in the region, which can reach diameters of 10 to 11 meters.

The construction of these monuments spans several centuries starting from protohistory. Archaeological findings suggest that while some elements date to the late Neolithic, these monuments may have been reused during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, similar to the systematic reuse patterns observed in plain tumuli.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikimedia Commons