Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman villa of Loupiac, located at the place called Saint-Romain, is an ancient vestige of an aristocratic residence from the 1st to the 6th century. The site, accessible by the Garonne, included thermal baths (caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium), a swimming pool lined with geometric and vegetal mosaics, and a peristyle. The excavations revealed six phases of construction, including a fire in the sixth century marking its abandonment. The mosaics, studied from the 19th century by Reinhold Dezeimeris, attest to a luxurious decor, with motifs such as polychrome daziers or three strand braids.

The site was reinvested between the 11th and 12th century by a Benedictine priory, Saint-Roman, founded thanks to a donation by Bernard de Ségur du Cros. The remaining Romanesque chapel, surrounded by monastic cells and a garden, was later transformed into an agricultural building. The remains, protected since 2011, are now managed by the Committee for the Protection of Villa Saint-Romain, which organizes guided tours and educational workshops.

Archaeological excavations, carried out notably by A. Pezat (1953-1955) and Jérôme Marian (2004-2008), made it possible to date architectural changes, such as the addition of a thermal complex in the third century or the embankment of the ornamental basin in the fourth century. The uncovered furniture (painted, ceramic) confirmed the continued occupation of the site until its medieval reassignment. The villa, an emblematic example of the Aquitaine villa, illustrates the adaptation of the Gallo-Roman elites to Roman influences, before its reuse by the monks.

The name Loupiac, derived from a suffix -acum, suggests belonging to a Gallo-Roman owner, reflecting the gradual romanization of the region. The thermal baths, with their system of pipes and hypocaustes, demonstrate advanced technical know-how. Today, the ancient swimming pool and its mosaics are protected by a hangar, while the site, private property, remains accessible to the public at cultural events or by reservation.

Interior decorations, such as pumpkin-style painted coatings or ceilings with geometric figures (IVth century), reveal Roman artistic influence. The mosaics, made between the fourth and sixth centuries, are among the best preserved in Aquitaine. Their study, coupled with recent excavations, allowed to reconstruct the spatial organization of the villa, with its residential wings and reception spaces.

The medieval priory, dependent on the abbey of Sauve-Majeure, marked a new phase of occupation of the site. The chapel, the only visible vestige, has Romanesque features, while the monastic buildings were partially destroyed in the 18th century to give way to a modern home. The site, classified as Historic Monument in 2011, thus combines ancient and medieval heritage, offering a rare testimony of historical continuity in Entre-deux-Mers.

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