Vieux: Roman architecture and forum

Vieux-la-Romaine brings Roman domestic architecture and public facilities to life through tangible buildings. For planning your trip around Vieux, this offers a clear cultural focus: you can explore different types of homes, the Gallo-Roman forum and various ways of interpreting the site. It is worth comparing the houses, as well as considering whether you prefer an open-air visit, an overview from a footbridge, or the museum’s interactive features.

Roman houses compared

The Maison au Grand Péristyle is a 1,400 m² building constructed in the style of Roman houses. Inside, there is a courtyard garden surrounded by a colonnaded gallery. The courtyard and gallery shape the impression of the space: the garden forms the open centre, while the columns enclose it all around. The Maison can be visited in the open air, so its architecture sets the scene for the visit.

Its social context also distinguishes this house from the Maison à la Cour en U. The Maison au Grand Péristyle is interpreted as the luxurious residence of a notable in the Forum’s upper-class district. The Maison à la Cour en U, by contrast, is considered a modest dwelling in a district shaped by crafts and trade. Together, the two buildings illustrate different forms of housing and social contexts. Those interested in architecture can therefore look not only at the floor plans, but also at how the houses fit into their respective districts.

The Gallo-Roman forum

The forum consists of a large square with a temple, senate, archives, basilica and offices for local affairs. This combination makes the forum’s different functions visible: religious, political and administrative institutions share a common public space. The forum is therefore a focus in its own right, alongside the houses. If you want to mentally organise the buildings, it helps to distinguish between the facilities on the square and the spaces used for private living.

Ways to visit and interpretation

The Maison au Grand Péristyle and the Maison à la Cour en U offer different perspectives on the site. The first house can be visited in the open air; at the Maison à la Cour en U, the visit follows a footbridge from which you can view the site as a whole. The footbridge thus provides an overview, while a visit to the Grand Péristyle brings the architecture of the house outdoors into focus.

The museum uses models, tactile objects and other interactive features to make a visit to the archaeological site engaging and interactive. This interpretation complements the view of the buildings with different ways of exploring them: models show spatial relationships, tactile objects engage the sense of touch, and other interactive features actively involve visitors. Workshops are offered for children; the specific programme may vary.

Travel planning tips

The Forum excavation site can be visited with a guide on selected days in July and August. If you would like to plan a guided tour, arrange your visit around the days on offer and check the exact dates in advance. This way, you can account for the seasonal opportunity to visit without assuming that guided tours are available at all times.

Vieux-la-Romaine is near the VéloFrancette. For cycle tourists, this proximity may be a factor when choosing where to stay; the specific route planning is a separate consideration. Adaptations are indicated for visitors with mobility, hearing or intellectual disabilities. If a particular adaptation is important to you, check before your visit whether it meets your individual needs.

Discover more destinations: Manerbe, Beuvron-en-Auge, Cheffreville-Tonnencourt, Espins, Géfosse-Fontenay, Pont-L'évêque, Anguerny, Périers-En-Auge.

For the regional travel overview: Calvados.