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Origin and history

The Roman aqueduct of Saintes, whose section is in the Douhet (Charente-Maritime), was built in two major phases: the first around the year 20 under the Julio-Claudians, and the second between 70 and 120 to respond to the demographic expansion of the city. This hydraulic structure, several kilometres long, supplied drinking water to the thermal baths (Saint-Vivian, Saint-Saloine) and the public fountains of Mediolanum Santorum (Saintes), thanks to a network of cut stone pipes, partially underground.

The main sources, still active today, were those of Font Morillon (Fontcouverte) and the Grand Font du Douhet, whose waters were captured and transported by gravity via vaulted galleries or canal bridges. The slope, less than 1 mm per metre, allowed a steady flow despite the low elevation. A third phase, discovered in 2010, is not yet dated. The aqueduct ceased to be used in the fourth century, and its stones were reused for other constructions.

The visible remains include two piers on the canal bridge, accessible underground sections, and battery bases. The U-shaped or square-shaped pipes (30-60 cm deep) were adapted to maintain a constant flow despite the limestone deposits accumulated over the centuries. Tunnels dug into the rock and open-air dalots completed the system. A section of pipe is exposed to the archaeological museum of Saintes, while recent excavations (since 2003) aim to restore and open the site to the public.

Archaeological research, initiated in the 18th century, has been marked by the work of Abel Triou (completely traced in 1968) and Bernard Bourgueil (since 2003). In 2013, the vaulted hall of Font Morillon was rediscovered, revealing a semicircular retention basin of 3 m in diameter. The sources, exploited since protohistory, were enlarged by the Romans and reused in the Middle Ages to feed mills and washers.

Ranked as a Historic Monument in 1840, the aqueduct is now managed by a steering committee of municipalities, associations and institutions (DRAC, SAHCM) for its preservation. Its path, along the N150, follows a north-east/south-west axis, with missing fragments between the N141 (way of Agrippa) and the Charente. Flow estimates, prepared in 1979 by Mr. Bailhache, show a gradual reduction in alluvial deposition capacity.

The work illustrates Roman engineering in Saintonge, combining hydraulic innovation and adaptation to relief. Its abandonment in the fourth century coincided with the decline of the urban infrastructures of Saintes, although the sources continued to be exploited locally. The 18th-19th century washhouses, coupled with the sources, bear witness to their post-antical use.

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