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Origin and history

The nymphée de Gennes is a Gallo-Roman building located at Mardron, near the church of Saint-Veterin, on the town of Gennes (Maine-et-Loire). Oriented to the northwest, it is in a private property, about ten kilometers downstream of Saumur, on the banks of the Loire. Its facade and semicircular apse, partially buried in the 19th century, were gradually cleared by archaeologists.

The excavations revealed an apse of 3.94 metres radius, flanked by pillars up to 4.75 metres high. Inside the cella, six pilasters were to support statues of nymphs, of which only one fragment (one arm) was found. The water, essential to this sanctuary dedicated to aquatic deities, was transported from the fountain of Chapeau via an aqueduct of 800 meters, renowned for its beneficial virtues according to local beliefs.

The rediscovery of the nymph begins in 1812 with Jean-François Bodin, who interprets the remains as baths. In 1839, V. Godard-Faultrier identified the route of the aqueduct. Between 1882 and 1898 Charles d'Achon and Paul de Farcy conducted extensive excavations, revealing the extent of the monument. Ranked as a historical monument in 1983, it bears witness to the importance of water-related cults in the Roman Gaul, in a strategic site close to the Loire.

The nymphae is part of a larger Gallo-Roman ensemble, including a nearby theatre in Gennes. These remains illustrate the Roman occupation in Anjou, where aquatic sanctuaries played a central role in religious and social life. The building, although located on a private property, remains a major archaeological marker of the Pays de la Loire region.

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