City: France
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The 10 Best Ancient Ruins in France, France
– in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (green)
Restaurants in France
1. Torra d'Omigna
2. Theatres Romains de Fourviere
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,155 reviews
A remnant from the era of dominance of the Roman Empire, the ruins of these two amphitheaters are over 2,000 years old.
Reviewed By Jimlockard - Lyon, France
Up on Fourviere Hill, accessible by funicular, you will find the ruins of a large Roman theater and a smaller adjacent meeting place in what was a large Roman settlement in the first Century. Both are now used for concerts in the summer. Easy to explore (but no disabled access to the sites). There is also a museum nearby. Worth visiting, great view, come to a concert if you can.
3. Barrage de Malpasset
4. Theatre Romain
5. Amphitheatre (les Arenes)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,291 reviews
Reviewed By Solarbearz
We toured the amphitheatre during a recent visit to Arles. First, it was incredibly impressed from the street, being in such good condition considering its age. Entering the amphitheatre we walked through corridors of beautiful hewn stone that took us back to centuries past. We finally entered the arena and took seats in the cool sun to take it all in. It is in such good condition that it is hard to believe it is so old. The best part was knowing that the amphitheatre is still in use. The arena was set up for bull fights which I wish we could have seen. Provençal fighting bulls don’t end up as hamburger, but instead, the bulls become celebrities in their own right and have quite a fan following until they are retired. We were told that when these bulls finally died of old age they were buried standing up and facing the Mediterranean. I’m planning on doing this with with my hubby if I can outlive him. We were lucky to tour the amphitheatre on a cool day in November when the tourist count was extremely low. The only thing better would have been to arrive on a day when a bull fight was scheduled, as I am sure it is a magnificent event in such an historic setting!
6. Site Archeologique de Glanum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,405 reviews
At the heart of the magnificent Alpilles mountains, the archaeological site at Glanum features the remains of an important Roman settlement that prospered from the 6th century BC to the third century AD. This fascinating site includes the ruins of both civic and religious edifices and is unique in Provence. Open: > 1st April to 30th September: from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. > 1st October to 31st March: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission 30 minutes before closing time. Closed: > Mondays from 1st October to 31st March. > 1st January, 1st May, 1st November, 11th November and 25th December. Admission fees: Adults : 8 €; Concessions (18 to 25) = 6,50 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups
Reviewed By 797tomc - Raleigh, United States
This was my 5th time to visit and I have written other rave reviews, so I will just repeat that this is well-worth a visit if you have any interest in Greek/Roman history and ruins. It is also been interesting to see how Glanum has changed and grown over the last 10 years, since discoveries are on-going. My wife's dream is to come work in the ruins for a few months--if anyone at Glanum reads this and wants another volunteer!!!
7. Roman Theatre of Orange
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,340 reviews
Built under Emperor Augustus in the 1st century AD, the Roman Theatre of Orange experienced a real rebirth in 2003, transporting visitors back to Imperial Rome. The new tour and the free audioguide in seven languages tell visitors about the shows and social life in the Provencal city during Roman times. In the new projection room, the film, with computer-generated images and reconstructions of shows, retraces the history of the Roman Theatre of Orange.
Reviewed By 71pawelk
Absolutely magnificent! One of the must see places while visiting the region. An excellent examplre of roman architecture and style.
8. Theatre Romain (Antique)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 338 reviews
Roman theater which seats 13,000.
Reviewed By Michael_SF6310RH - Swansea, United Kingdom
We had a greatly enjoyable cruise on the river Rhone with Riviera Travel (30th May - 6th June 2019). We had to climb a steep hill to the Roman amphitheatre. The view was panoramic from the top but it was quite a climb to the highest seats and it was even more difficult to climb back down. My wife had to cling to the fencing and jump down from seat to seat as the steps were so steep. The theatre was built in the first century AD and was one of the largest in the ancient Roman world with a capacity of 11,000 spectators – remarkable.
9. Chateau de Clisson
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 291 reviews
The chateau de Clisson is a multi-facetted monument. It was an unassailable fortress, a Duke's residence and a Romantic ruin. Its stones survived the passing of time (from the 11th to the 19th century) and today, they tell many stories of very colorful characters.
10. Sites Archeologiques de Vaison la Romaine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 633 reviews
Reviewed By Nortie139 - Ottawa, Canada
How a town undercovered another ancient town. The ruins are in nice shape to show you the outline of the buildings when they were built. Impressive inside this beautiful French town. A great mix of the old and the very old. Worth a visit.
