Just 3 km south of Auxerre, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France, archaeologists have uncovered a massive Roman villa spanning over 4,000 sq.m. This discovery significantly alters previous understanding of the site, which had been known since the late 19th century but had never been thoroughly excavated.

Back in 1966, the creation of a gravel pit led to a preliminary survey and cleaning of 2,400 sq.m. This revealed a rectangular building of more than 700 sq.m., featuring roughly ten rooms, one of which ended in an apse. The structure’s masonry incorporated fragments in second use from funerary steles and columns. The discovery of ceramics, coins, and other artifacts confirmed continuous occupation of the site between the 1st and 4th c. AD.

However, that early find pales in comparison to what current excavations have brought to light. What was discovered in 1966 now appears to be merely a secondary wing of an enormous and monumental residence—one of the largest Gallo-Roman villas documented to date.

A discovery that redefines Gallo-Roman architecture

The newly unearthed complex has far surpassed all expectations. The villa is centered around a square garden over 450 m on each side, enclosed by a surrounding wall. To the north lies a large rectangular pool, and to the south, a small ornamental fountain. Covered porticoes connect the main rooms, reception areas, agricultural spaces, what may have been the kitchen, and private baths located in the eastern wing.

Archaeologists have discovered hypocaust systems and mosaic remnants—luxurious architectural elements that leave no doubt about the high status of the villa’s residents. This wasn’t a simple countryside home but the central estate of a wealthy landowning family from the region’s political or economic elite.

Researchers suggest a direct link between the villa’s development and that of Autessiodurum (modern-day Auxerre), which evolved from a modest settlement in the 1st c. to a civitas capital by the 4th c.

They have already identified at least two construction phases, possibly a third, indicating that the villa was expanded and upgraded in tandem with the city’s rise in administrative importance.

In contrast to typical Gallo-Roman villas, where the residential area (pars urbana) is usually smaller than the agricultural section (pars rustica), here the scale and luxury of the residential quarters are extraordinary.

The team notes how rare it is to find a pars urbana so fully developed and extensively excavated. Private baths, gardens, complex hydraulic systems, and likely wall paintings or mosaic floors point to a level of opulence similar to the grand aristocratic estates of southern Gaul.

Public access and future research

To mark the European Archaeology Days (Journées Européennes de l’Archéologie), the site will exceptionally open to the public on Sunday, June 15, from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Guided tours by the archaeologists will be available free of charge, with shuttle service from the L’Arquebuse parking lot on Boulevard du 11 Novembre.

According to the researchers, this is just the beginning. A large portion of the recovered materials—including ceramics and organic remains—has yet to be analyzed. These findings will help reconstruct everyday life at the site nearly 2,000 years ago.

For now, the villa near Auxerre is already being recognized as a landmark discovery—key to understanding urban planning, the economy of Roman Gaul, and the power structures that shaped the region.