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Vaison la Romaine archaeological site
Get a feel of every day Roman life from villas with mosaics to bath houses
You can feel like you've stepped back in time when you visit Vaison la Romaine. As the name suggests, this was an important town for the Romans, who liked its location and climate, and built many rather magnificent structures. Vaison became a federated city under the Romans which explains why so many public buildings were constructed.
The most obvious Roman heritage is the Roman bridge (one of only five still standing in Provence), but there are two important excavation sites right in the centre of town - the Site de la Villasse is the biggest archaeological site in France that's open to the public.
You can discover the remnants of Roman villas and wander around their extensive gardens. Just to the north of this site lies the Site de Puymin which includes the grand Antique Theatre (and hosts events during the summer). Some of the ancient Roman artefacts have been collected and are on display in the Musee Theo Desplans.
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Worth knowing
The surviving fragments of upscale Roman habitations survived essentially because they were more solidly built than cheaper housing. These homes would have been beautifully decorated – fountains, light wells, interior gardens; carpets, drapes, art and fine furnishings. Certain practical rules of construction were obeyed: kitchens to the north so food could be better preserved, bedrooms small so as to maintain their temperature better, the baths by an entrance so firewood did not have to be carried far. Heating was channelled around the house from the baths area, and windows filled in with glass. In winter sliding doors covered the entrance-ways, and you can still see the groove for one of these at the Maison du Dauphin in Vaison-la-Romaine.
