Crossing the Cevennes by Caesar 52 av. J.-C. (≈ 100 av. J.-C.)
Probable passage near the camp.
Fin IIe - début Ier siècle av. J.-C.
Construction of oppidum
Construction of oppidum Fin IIe - début Ier siècle av. J.-C. (≈ 75 av. J.-C.)
Period of occupation by the Vellavs.
10 octobre 1991
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 10 octobre 1991 (≈ 1991)
Official site registration.
2007-2011
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological excavations 2007-2011 (≈ 2009)
Discovery of Celtic remains by Kurzaj.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The camp (Box E 842): inscription by order of 10 October 1991
Key figures
Jules César - General and Roman politician
Crossed the area in 52 B.C.
Marie-Caroline Kurzaj - Archaeologist
Directed the excavations from 2007 to 2011.
Origin and history
The Antoune camp is a Celtic oppidum located in the commune of Salettes, in the department of Haute-Loire (former Auvergne region, today Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Dated from the late 2nd and early 1st century BC, this 15-hectare site, perched at 1,086 metres above sea level, strategically dominates the Loire Valley. Its dry stone ramparts and two defensive lines, still well preserved, reveal an occupation linked to the Gaulish people of Vellaves, in direct contact with Roman culture after the conquest of Narbonnaise.
Archaeological excavations carried out between 2007 and 2011, under the direction of Marie-Caroline Kurzaj, revealed Celtic remains as well as a corner link marking the entrance of the rampart. These discoveries confirm the Roman influence on the Velvets from the first century BC. The site would have played a strategic role in the crossing of the Cevennes by Julius Caesar and his legions in 52 B.C., an episode described in his Comments on the War of the Gauls. Although the exact route remains uncertain, the Antoune camp is probably linked to this perilous winter passage, the first written testimony mentioning the Velvet country.
Ranked a historic monument since 1991, the Antoune camp offers today a panorama of the Devès volcanoes, with observation tables to enhance this archaeological heritage. Its defensive system, including a discontinuous rampart, illustrates the Gallic military architecture of the late Iron Age. The site remains a key testimony of the cultural and political dynamics between Celtes and Romans in the Central Massif before the final conquest of Gaul.
Historical sources include Marie-Caroline Kurzaj's work and Caesar's Comments, as well as microtoponymic studies such as those of Françoise de La Conterie. This research underscores the importance of the camp in regional history, between Gaulish resistance and progressive romanization. The protection of the site, coupled with its landscape development, makes it an emblematic place to understand the Celtic occupation in Auvergne.
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