Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman villa of Les Prés Bas, discovered in 1963 and searched between 1976 and 1982, is located in Loupian (Hérault), between Montpellier and Béziers, in the heart of Gallia Narbonensis. The site, occupied for more than 600 years, extends over three hectares south of the village. It reveals the remains of a villa richly decorated with mosaics, showing a continuous occupation from a modest farmhouse to a patrician residence.

Originally, a prosperous farm is set up near Via Domitia, on a slope overlooking the Thau pond. In the Upper Empire (I–II century), it is transformed into a large wine-growing villa, with a 1500 hectolitre cellar, an export port to the Thau basin, and a potter shop producing amphora stamped "M A F". This period marks the economic climax of the domain, centered on the production and trade of wine.

In the fifth century (Bas-Empire), the villa is completely rebuilt into a luxurious residence, decorated with unique mosaics mixing aquitaine and Syrian influences. These sets, made by two teams of Mosaïsts in six to eight months, cover 450 m2 and have been classified as Historic Monuments since 1970. Nearby, a paleo-Christian church with a baptismal tank attests to the gradual Christianization of the site.

The baths of the villa, dating from the 2nd century, already housed remarkable mosaics. Among the works preserved are the octagon mosaic, the autumn and winter mosaic, and the svastika mosaic, illustrating the artistic diversity of the place. Today, a 1,000 m2 structure protects the remains, open to guided tours.

The archaeological site offers an exceptional testimony of rural and aristocratic life in Narbonnaise, combining wine-growing, maritime trade and monumental art. The excavations also revealed dolia (storage gardens) and traces of artisanal activities, confirming Wolfian's central role in the ancient regional economy.

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