Fontaines Salées archeological site, Archaeological site in Saint-Père and Foissy-lès-Vézelay, France.
Fontaines Salées is an archaeological site straddling two municipalities with preserved water basins and bathing facilities from ancient times. The remains span both locations and reveal layers of occupation from the Celtic period through the Roman era.
The site originated as a sacred location for Celtic communities who revered the springs. Later, Romans constructed thermal baths and infrastructure there, showing how new rulers incorporated ancient holy places into their own way of life.
For centuries, this location served as a pilgrimage site where people sought out sacred springs and healing waters. The remains show how deeply religious practice was woven into daily life in this ancient region.
The site is easily reached via Route de Pierre-Perthuis and works well for a half-day visit. Comfortable walking shoes are advisable since you traverse archaeological remains and sometimes uneven ground.
The salt springs gave the place its name and were used as healing remedies by people for over 1,000 years. Visitors can still see today in the remains how valuable these mineral waters were to early inhabitants.
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