Roman Remains of South-West France : From the Loire Valley to the Pyrenees: A Guidebook

The Roman Remains of South-West France: From the Loire Valley to the Pyrenees introduces over a hundred sites, 61 of them with detailed descriptions and another 45 summarising the major reasons for a visit. The book is lavishly illustrated with photos, maps and plans, which situate places, provide context and offer a visual counterpart to the text. Coverage of individual sites is interspersed with chapters giving in-depth insights on noteworthy features of the region, such as the pipeclay industry and memorial towers.

The drama of the Gallic resistance to the Romans can be experienced at Gergovia, where the Gauls successfully beat off the Roman army and at Martel/Uxellodunum where the last organised resistance was crushed. The region was the production centre for terra sigillata/Samian ware, the glossy red pottery found on virtually every archaeological site in the western provinces, and a kiln used to fire up to 30,000 dishes in one go may be seen at La Graufesenque (Millau). The text reveals how a police fingerprint expert helped prove that children stacked these kilns.

This guide also explores the region’s exceptional museums: Toulouse has magnificent marble bas-reliefs and imperial statuary while Châteaumeillant has outstanding metalwork and engaging descriptive panels. Chassenon has the best preserved Roman baths in northern Europe; Périgeux, has the 24.5m high circular temple cella; Séviac villa at Montréal-du-Gers has more mosaics in situ than anywhere in France. Roman city sites such as Saintes and St-Bertrand-des-Comminges, have extensive treatment of their remains and excellent museums.