Vaison-la-Romaine, a Town with Amazing Roman Ruins

We head off to the weekly market in Vaison la Romaine every Tuesday morning rain or shine. I am usually patient with Shirley and our guests about getting out of the house at a certain time except on Tuesdays. Like most towns, parking in Vaison on market day is not easy so we try to be there by 8:30 AM so we can park in the small lot near Notre-Dame de Nazareth Cathedral.

Vaison la Romaine is a quick 10 km drive from Sablet along a winding road and cross the Ouvèze River on the Pont Neuf (new bridge); there is a Roman bridge too (more about that in a future post). Vaison la Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River; on the right bank is the ancient Roman colony and modern town and on the left bank on top of a rocky spur is the old medieval town.

The market takes place in the center of the modern town. The cathedral near where we park was erected in the 11th century and its walls were reinforced in the 12th century on the site of a Palaeo-Christian church.

The city of Vocontii - southern capital of Vocontii, a Celtic tribe, Vaison (Vasio Vocontiorum) became part of Roman Provence at the end of 2c BC. Very early on it received the status of federated city (not colony) which allowed the town a lot of autonomy. Allied with Ceasar during the Gallic War (58 - 51 BC), the Vocontii lived side by side with the Romans.

Known for centuries simply as Vaison, the town didn't get the second part of its name until the early 20th century when Roman ruins were discovered beneath the streets of the modern town. From beneath the ground emerged the remains of a Roman city that covered 70 hectare/173 acres and had a population of approximately 10,000.

From the church, we walk along the north side of the Cathedral past a very large field of Roman ruins which border the path on the way to the main market area. I am embarrassed to say we hardly give a thought to how extraordinary it is to see these ruins every Tuesday morning.

What makes this site unique is the fact that it is made up of streets with shops and houses, rather than individual ruins like at Arles and Orange, so you get a sense of the overall layout of the town. While little remains of the town, only 15 hectares/37 acres have been excavated (the rest remains under the modern town), it is by far the largest archaeological site in France.

The Roman ruins are spread over two quarters; the Quartier du Puymin adjacent to the Office of Tourism with its Musée Théo Desplans (museum) and Théâtre Antique built in the first century AD (more about this in a future post) and the Quartier de La Villasse which we see on our walk up to the market.

These are ruins of shops along the central street of La Villasse.

This is one room of the Central Thermae (public bath) in La Villasse, most of the ruins of the Central Thermae remain covered by modern buildings, making complete excavation impossible.

A grand house.

More Roman ruins.

Roman ruins against a beautiful Provencal sky.

Amazingly well preserved.

You can buy a ticket which will give you access to wander at will through both quarters. But you can see almost everything without going in.

Roman ruins in a beautiful setting against the backdrop of the beautiful sky.

The La Villasse Thermae and Palaestra is where Romans bathed and exercised.

Roman ruins with a statue in the background.

Another view of the shops along the central street.

Looking down from the market area toward the Cathedral in the distance. At the front is the central street and shops. The Romans were very practical and built one street for chariots in the foreground and just beyond a footpath for pedestrians covered by a portico (many of the columns remain in place) to shelter the stalls and people from the sun and bad weather.

The Musée Théo Desplans (museum) displays artifacts discovered during excavation of the site.

Among the interesting articles found on display in the museum are large marble statues. To the left is a statue of Sabina, wife of emperor Hadrian, the next is emperor Hadrian (117 - 138) and the third is emperor Claudius (41 -54) wearing a crown of oak leaves.

More discoveries uncovered during excavations at the site.

More artifacts on display at Musée Théo Desplans (museum).

Items on display at the Musée Théo Desplans (museum).

Many mosaics have been uncovered in Vaison, some are severely weathered, others have gone to public or private collections. This one now on display in the museum, was found in the Peacock Villa in Quartier du Puymin. It is made up of stone, glass and terracotta to achieve very subtle shading and color.

Bonne journée mes amis et à bientôt.