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Origin and history

The ancient site of the Mirande Towers, located in the present municipality of Saint-Martin-la-Pallu (former commune of Vendeuvre-du-Poitou), is a vast archaeological complex dating from the Roman High Empire. Originally occupied by the Celts under the name of Vindobriga ("the white hill"), the site extends over 120 hectares and bears witness to a structured Roman urbanization. The excavations, initiated in 1825 and deepened since the 1960s, have revealed major remains: a temple, a forum, a basilica (24.80 m x 12.50 m), a portal gallery, and an amphitheater that can accommodate 7,000 spectators. The city, crossed by a Roman road connecting Poitiers, declined during the great invasions and served as a career in the Middle Ages.

The property of the site, originally owned by the State (Ministry of Culture), was transferred to the municipality of Vendeuvre-du-Poitou on 30 July 2007. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1981, all remains (cadastre N 346, 348) are now protected. The site illustrates the strategic importance of this city, linked to its limestone subsoil (clay, green sands, grores) and its position between the Pallu and Envigne valleys. Its gradual abandonment reflects the political and demographic upheavals of late antiquity.

The Celtic heritage of Vindobriga persists in the local toponymy, while archaeological excavations reveal an urban organization typical of Gallo-Roman cities: public spaces, places of worship and leisure facilities. The basilica, a central building, and the amphitheatre highlight the influence of this agglomeration, now integrated into the New Aquitaine heritage. The site, although partially preserved, remains a key testimony of romanization in the centre-west of France.

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