The Lou Carcolh [modern French folklore]
In French folklore, more specifically in Hastingues, there are tales of the Lou Carcolh, a terrible monstrous snail. There is a large hill near the city that was said to house the creature in a subterranean cavern. In fact, the hill is roughly shaped like a snail’s shell so that may have been the original inspiration for the tale. There are no verifiable references to this creature from before the early 20th century, so I suspect this is most likely a modern invention rather than a medieval myth.
In any case, the Lou Carcolh is described as a giant snail with a thick fur and a shell as big as a house. It has large flexible tentacles near its face, which is uses to grab victims and drag them deeper into the cavern to be devoured. One story claims that the hill houses a large amount of gold and jewelry, as the locals supposedly buried all their valuables there before the Spanish occupied the region. Ever since then, the treasure is guarded zealously by the Lou Carcolh, devouring any would-be treasure hunters.
(image source 1: Christian Pierre)
(image source 2: Tiffany Baxter Illustration)