Photo : X-Javier / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
La Hottée de Gargantua
The Hottée de Gargantua is a chaos of sandstone blocks about ten metres high, west of Laon, in the commune of Molinchart, in the Aisne. According to local sources, this group formed about 70 million years ago, in the Tertiary era, under the action of erosion. Several rocks evoke animal shapes, for example a poodle.
Popular tradition attributes the pile to the giant Gargantua. Three versions of the tale exist: the giant is said to have overturned his basket after drinking too much local wine, emptied his shoes of their stones, or seen the strap of his basket break. A path lets you climb to the top of the chaos, from where you discover a view over the surrounding countryside and the village below.
