Gallo-Roman Villa of Saint-Saturnin Concludes Successful 2026 Season

The archaeological site saw increased visitor numbers, strengthened its heritage, and offered a diverse cultural and scientific program.

Generic image of Gallo-Roman villa ruins with stone walls and scattered artifacts, set in a green landscape under a blue sky.
AI

Generic image of Gallo-Roman villa ruins with stone walls and scattered artifacts, set in a green landscape under a blue sky.

The Gallo-Roman Villa in Saint-Saturnin concludes its 2026 season with a positive balance, marked by an increase in individual entries and heritage preservation projects.

With a rating of 4.8/5 on Google, the archaeological site of Saint-Saturnin confirms its appeal. The 2026 season was rich in varied cultural and scientific projects, despite the heatwave.
The number of individual entries increased compared to 2025. Out of a total of 1515 entries, 439 children discovered the site thanks to their school or leisure center.
Heritage protection was a priority. For 5 months, an archaeologist identified and conditioned treasures for storage at the departmental archaeology reserves in Saint-Césaire. The stonemasons from the Aira workshop intervened to consolidate the remains.
The program began with a traveling planetarium, offering opportunities to learn about constellations. National events also attracted the public, notably workshops on natural dyeing, street art, and nature and heritage walks during the Rendez-vous au jardin weekend.
During the European Archaeology Days, visitors admired the unique archaeological artifacts discovered on site. The digital museum, inaugurated during the European Heritage Days, offers a virtual reconstruction of the villa.
Workshops and activities were offered this summer, including glasswork, bread oven lighting, and wooden frame construction, as well as Archéo’Apéro and game nights.
Public participation was essential to the success of projects such as the creation of the vegetable garden, the construction of an expression wall, and tree planting.
Positive reviews were shared by visitors, highlighting the site's fascinating nature, the quality of presentations and activities, and the guides' knowledge.
For the second consecutive year, eco-grazing was implemented, contributing to site maintenance that respects biodiversity and promotes social connection.
Based on information from the official source: Communauté de communes Aunis Sud (30/10/2026)