France, July 12 -- The megalithic sites of Carnac and the shores of Morbihan in Brittany, western France, have been officially inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, the international organisation announced on Saturday.

These ancient monuments, erected over more than two thousand years during the Neolithic period, cover an area of 1,000 square kilometres. The site includes more than 550 monuments across 28 towns and villages in Morbihan.

Among the most famous are the Carnac alignments, with their long, straight rows of menhirs (meaning 'long stones' in Breton) of all sizes. The origins and purpose of these stones remain a mystery, but they attract nearly 300,000 visitors each year.

Unesco described the megaliths as "an exceptional ...