Vaison-la-Romaine, Archaeological site in Vaucluse, France.
Vaison-la-Romaine is a town with ancient remains and medieval quarters in the Vaucluse department of southern France. The Ouvèze River divides it into two parts: the flat lower town with Roman ruins and the medieval quarter perched on a hillside with narrow cobbled lanes.
This settlement began as the Celtic capital of the Vocontii before falling under Roman control between 125 and 118 BC. In the Middle Ages, life moved to the hilltop while the ancient ruins below lay buried for centuries.
The name derives from the Vocontii, a Celtic tribe that settled here before Roman times. Visitors today can still see this ancient heritage reflected in bilingual street signs showing both French and Provençal names.
The ruins lie in the lower town and are easily reached on foot, while the medieval upper town requires climbing either a narrow road or steep steps. Tuesday sees crowds throughout as the weekly market spreads through many streets.
A Roman bridge over the Ouvèze has carried traffic since the first century AD and survived severe flooding. The climb to the upper town passes through a medieval gate that still holds its original iron-studded wooden door.
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