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Origin and history

The Wy-dit-Joli-Village hypocaust is an archaeological vestige dating from the Gallo-Roman period, discovered during development work in the village. This heating system, typical of the Roman thermal baths, consists of three distinct rooms: hot (caldarium), warm (tepidarium) and cold (frigidarium). It is now part of the Tool Museum, installed in a former 18th century presbytery, where a medieval forge was also built in the ruins of the thermal baths.

The discovery of this hypocaust confirmed the presence of a Roman occupation at the Wy-dit-Joli-Village site, although few written sources detailed its precise use. The thermal baths, equipped with this warm air circulation system under the ground, illustrated the lifestyle and hygienic practices of the local Gallo-Roman elites. The museum, reopened in 2011 after restoration, also exhibits artisanal tools from the 16th to 20th centuries, creating a dialogue between the eras.

Ranked a historic monument in 1984, the hypocauste is now owned by the Val-d'Oise department. Its state of conservation allows visitors to clearly observe technical structures, such as brick piles (pillars) supporting the floor of heated rooms. This archaeological site, although modest, offers a rare testimony of Roman infrastructures in Île-de-France, a region where the ancient remains are less numerous than in Provence or Aquitaine.

The village of Wy-dit-Joli-Village, through the centuries, has preserved other historical traces, such as the church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Romain or the mansion of Hazeville. However, the hypocauste remains one of the only material testimonies of the Gallo-Roman period in this rural municipality of Vexin, stressing its local heritage importance.

There are no sources that mention an exhaustive excavation of the site, but its preservation in the museum allows a pedagogical approach to Roman archaeology. The thermal baths, partially destroyed or reused in the Middle Ages, did not deliver significant movable objects, limiting knowledge of their exact use. Their integration into a museum dedicated to crafts creates a unique link between ancient past and popular traditions.

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