Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The archaeological site of the Vaux-de-la-Celle, discovered in 1935 by architect Pierre Oreème, is a Gallo-Roman complex of the 2nd century located in Genainville, Val-d'Oise. Ranked a historic monument since 1941, it spans about 5 hectares and was systematically searched from 1960 to 1991, revealing a sanctuary, a theatre, a nymph and a sacred path. These remains, threatened by a groundwater table, testify to a place of worship dedicated to Mercury and Rosmerta, frequented by the Véliocasses.

The excavations revealed remarkable substructures, including a half-amphitheater theatre of 110 metres in diameter that can accommodate 8,000 to 10,000 spectators, and a square temple of 28 metres in length, decorated with traces of polychromy. A 35-metre-long and 8-metre-wide sacred path, paved, connected the entrance to the temple, while a nymph, consisting of a main basin and two annexes, completed the whole. Earlier remains, dating back to the first century and a Gallic necropolis of the eighth century BC, were also identified under Gallo-Roman constructions.

The site, abandoned in the third century during the disturbances in Roman Gaul, was studied by the Centre de recherches archeologicales du Vexin français under the direction of Pierre-Henri Mitard. Since 2004, excavations have been carried out by the University of Cergy-Pontoise and the Valencian Student Archaeology Association (AEVA). The sculptures and architectural elements discovered are preserved at the departmental archaeological museum of Val-d'Oise in Guiry-en-Vexin. The Parc naturel régional du Vexin français actively participates in the development of the site, located in a forested valley crossed by the Ru de Genainville.

The classification of the site as a historical monument was extended in 1981 to protect all remains, covering several cadastral parcels. The research revealed a conciliabulum, a gathering place for the Véliocasses, highlighting the political and religious importance of the site. Excavation campaigns have also helped to reconstruct the spatial organization of the sanctuary, integrating unique elements such as the double cellae temple, dedicated to syncretic deities.

The remains of the Vaux-de-la-Celle illustrate Gallo-Roman religious architecture, marked by the integration of local and Roman traditions. The theatre, backed by a hillside, and the nymph, associated with the cult of water, reflect sophisticated urban planning. Archaeological objects, including statues and capitals, provide valuable insight into the artistic and religious practices of the time. The site remains a subject of study to understand the cultural and social dynamics of Roman Gaul in the second century.

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