Vaison-la-Romaine: Roman Ruins, Provence, France
In previous episode we visited the "upper" and "lower" parts of the town. In Vaison-la-Romaine you can also find a lot of interesting remnants of the Romans. We will visit them now as showed in our video.
Parking in Vaison-la-Romaine
We park our car in a large parking lot near the Roman ruins at Avenue General de Gaulle (1; GPS: 44.242845, 5.072071).
The tickets
You can buy the tickets buy in the building at Rue Bernard Noel (A; GPS: 44.242199, 5.073535). The ticket price is 8€ (for young people aged between 12-18 the price is 3€; the entrance for children under 12 is for free). Tickets are valid for both parts of the ruins for 24 hours, so you don't have to try to see everything at once. Better take a break and eat something after an hour or two.
Puymin and La Villasse
Note: remember that the ruins are located on both sides of the street. On the right side of the street (as seen from the town center) you can find a part called Puymin (B; GPS: 44.242754, 5.074302), and on the left side you visit the La Villasse (C; GPS: 44.241813, 5.071708).
The ruins consist primarily of the houses belonging to the wealthy Roman families whose wealth was the product of their possessions. Elite took care of keeping order in the town and financed the costs of maintenance of public buildings such as theaters, public baths, temples. The most interesting buildings include the House of Apollo with a Laurel Wreath ("La maison à l'Apollon Lauré") with an area of 2000m², the House of the Arbor ("La Maison à la Tonnelle") with an area of 3000m², the House of the Dolphin ("La Maison au Dauphin") named because of a small marble dolphin and the House of the Silver Bust ("La Maison du Buste en Argent"), whose name comes from the silver bust of one of the wealthy Roman citizens, which was found there.
In the area of the ruins you can also visit the renovated Roman amphitheater (D; GPS: 44.2435864, 5.0753342) from the first century BC. Originally it could accommodate approx. 7 thousands of people. Forgotten for centuries, it was rediscovered in 1912.
See also: