Dive into ancient Paris

Remains of the port of Lutèce with, in the background, the virtual reconstruction of the Gallo-Roman quays • ARCHAEOLOGICAL CRYPT OF THE ILE DE LA CITÉ / PRESS SERVICE

In the heart of Paris, under the forecourt of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the archaeological crypt of the Île de la Cité reopened its doors this fall. Much less known than its illustrious neighbor, it nevertheless presents impressive and major remains of the ancient city, discovered during excavations carried out between 1965 and 1972.

The city of the Parisii

Just go down a few steps underground to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Gallo-Roman city thanks to the monumental remains, walls and blocks of stone, witnesses of Antiquity. Founded by the Gallic people of the Parisii, Lutèce became after the Roman conquest of the middle of the 1 ^st century BC. a fairly stable medium-sized city that developed on the left bank during the reign of Augustus (27 BC-14 AD).

At the beginning of the I ^st century, the islets of the Seine were united to form the Ile de la Cité, and vast dwellings were built there. The city underwent changes during the invasions of the Germans, Franks and Alamanni, and became a strategic defense site:the Ile de la Cité was fortified in 308.

Many districts of the left bank being then abandoned, the stones were reused, for example to build the rampart which surrounded the island:it is made up of large blocks of limestone recovered from the necropolis or from abandoned monuments.

The visitor discovers the remains, as well as those of the thermal baths (changing rooms or hot rooms), which occupy a central place in the crypt. At the time, the location of the latter corresponded to the location of the ancient bank:trade developed along the Seine under the control of the nautes, these wealthy merchants who monetized wheat and wine.

In this underground world, the journey takes place like a time machine, from the ancient city to the modern city, with the old chapel of the Hôtel-Dieu, the remains of the rue Neuve-Notre-Dame or the foundations of the Foundling Hospice. Videos reconstruct in 3D the forum or the arenas of Lutèce. You can also admire two models of Notre-Dame cathedral from the collections of the Carnavalet museum, to which the crypt has been officially attached since 2000.