Baptistère de Riez, Early Christian baptistery in Riez, France

The Baptistère de Riez is a small paleochristian building of pale beige and grey rubble masonry with a pitched terracotta-tiled roof. Its plan is polygonal, with large regular stone quoins at the corners and a band of paler blocks under the eaves. A single small arched window opens on one face, and a tall arched doorway is recessed on the front.

The baptistery was built between the 5th and 7th centuries, most likely in the 6th or 7th, reusing stones from the Roman baths on whose site the cathedral group stood outside the city. Bishop Augier of Riez (1096–1130) had its vaults rebuilt, and in 1559 it became a simple chapel dedicated to Saint Clair and Saint John the Baptist.

The baptistery was turned into a simple chapel in 1559, dedicated to Saint Clair and Saint John the Baptist. In 1636 Simon Bartel gave the first written description of the building, and in 1654 Father Miraillet described it again. In the 19th century, finds of votive stelae to various gods in Riez led to the mistaken idea that the building was an ancient temple to all gods, and it was nicknamed the "Pantheon".

Access is free year-round and it is recommended to contact Riez town hall at 04 92 77 99 00 if you want more detailed information or specific conditions. Since it is an older building, be prepared for uneven floors and limited accessibility features.

The octagonal interior is not original: the vaults were rebuilt under Bishop Augier (1096–1130), and in 1818 the raised octagonal drum above the first cornice was demolished during restoration ordered by the Marquis de Villeneuve, prefect of the Basses-Alpes. A Baltard engraving records the earlier profile, with its lantern and campanile.