CIRCUIT GALLO-ROMAIN
A visit along an urban route to discover the remains of temples and other buildings from the Gallo-Roman era.
The remains of the Gallo-Roman era are numerous in Périgueux. Numerous, but discreet, even diverted. The Vesunna Museum team and its curator had the idea of proposing a 1 km walk following a red line painted on the pavements. The circuit is a loop, so you can approach it at any point. You can go to the Vésonne tower, this ancient temple, to the remains of the rampart built by the inhabitants to protect themselves from the invasions of the "Barbarians" during the first troubles in the succession of emperors in Rome from the 3rd century onwards by dismantling the stones of the temples. You will arrive at the church of the city and continue to the garden of the Arena with its ruined vomitories. The amphitheatre had a capacity of 18,000 spectators which made it one of the largest in Aquitaine Gaul. We arrive at the Norman gate which was one of the three entrances to the enclosure built with the elements of Gallo-Roman constructions, at its sides the walls of the Barriere Castle where we can clearly see the intertwining of the blocks of stone piled up without care and on which more recent buildings were raised later. The railway line has carefully avoided the ramparts and creates a metal belt revealing these beautiful facades recently restored. A few more steps separate you from the Vésonne park and its tower of the same name. You can now enter the middle of it thanks to a recently installed footbridge. The Vesunna Museum has additional information.