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Origin and history

The Roman aqueduct of the Châtelet mountain is part of the vast archaeological site of the Châtelet de Gourzon, located near Fontaines-sur-Marne (Haute-Marne, Grand Est). This monument, classified in 1883, is not a classical aqueduct but a qanat, an underground system capturing the waters of the groundwater. It was essential to feed the Gallo-Roman agglomeration of Châtelet, a secondary town of the Leuques occupying 24 hectares.

The excavations of the 19th century, notably those of Abbé Gélin, revealed an underground conduit marked with service wells spaced 6.21 metres apart. This hydraulic structure, still partially visible, is part of a wider network including Roman roads and necropolises. It illustrates the adaptation of the Romans to local resources, in a region marked by metallurgy and trade between the Gaulish peoples (Leuches, Remes, Lingons).

The site of the Châtelet, occupied from Neolithic times, reached its peak in the Gallo-Roman period (I–III centuries). The lake, combined with thermal baths and a fanum, reflects the planned urbanization of the town, with artisanal neighborhoods (pots, blacksmiths) and residential. Partial destruction in the third–fourth centuries, linked to the barbaric invasions, did not prevent a Merovingian occupation, before a gradual decline in favour of Saint Dizier.

The first scientific explorations date back to Pierre-Clément Grignon (1772–74), master of forges and amateur archaeologist, whose methodical excavations — financed by Louis XV — marked a turning point in French archaeology. His work, followed by the work of Abbé Fourot or Louis Lepage, only released a tiny part of the site, now overgrown by vegetation. A Lidar study is under way to refine the mapping of this buried heritage.

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