Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) have uncovered a massive 43,000-square-foot Roman villa at Sainte-Nitasse in Auxerre, France, during excavations ahead of a road construction project. The villa, dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries C.E., features a central garden with a basin and fountain, thermal baths with an underfloor heating system, and rooms including a reception room, kitchen, and working area. Previously known from 19th-century records and a 1960s dig that revealed a smaller 7,500-square-foot building, the new findings reveal what Inrap calls “one of the great villas of Roman Gaul,” with thick walls, marble, mosaics, and frescoes indicating aristocratic owners.
This discovery matters because it reshapes understanding of Roman life in Gaul, showcasing the scale and sophistication of provincial elite residences. The villa’s size and amenities—especially the well-preserved baths and heating system—offer rare insights into Roman engineering and daily comfort. The site will open to the public for tours during European Archaeology Days on June 15, and ongoing excavations may yield further details about the occupants’ lifestyle and the villa’s later medieval repurposing.