Classified historical monument and department property, Plassac’s archeological site holds the three main states of a Gallo Roman villa, erected between the 1st and 5th centuries AD.

The Villa

The site is located on the right side of the Gironde estuary about three kilometers from the south of Blaye.

The ruins correspond to the residential part of a villa (agricultural sector) – the architectures from the first building, built around 20-40 AD and from the second one built in the very early 2nd century AD were made to be in keeping with the estuary site.

The third building step dates from the end of the 4th century to the early 5th AD. This villa was decorated with polychrome mosaic slabs from The School of Aquitaine.

The historical interest

The historical, patrimonial and landscaping interest in the local archeological field makes it possible to develop cultural activities geared towards different people.

A 3D tour of the Gallo –Roman villa

The 3D virtual reconstitution of the 2nd century villa (2005 version, financed by the department with European and regional support) has to be updated. That’s the reason why 7 years ago the department ordered, a new 3D production, made by Archeotransfert Pessac. This is presented on the site of the museum.

Furthermore, thanks to the tools and pedagogical workshops developed here in Plassac, with the department’s support, the awareness is raised among school aged visitors of respect for heritage in its environment while they discover Gallo –Roman civilization.

The department handles the project management for the general site restoration. The program established by the head architect of historical monuments proposing the consolidation of remains, new accesses, gateways, a treatment of volumes, is actually particularly adapted to the nature of vestiges and to the landscape quality of this estuary site.

This project had been scheduled in three successive 10-month functional phases (from 2009 to 2011). It also enjoyed European (FEDER, objective2) state and region subsidies for the first phase. The restoration works are currently being continued, as are the second and the third phases. A complementary market about the safety of the adjoining zone between the site and the church are being continued too.

In parallel, the programme for the mosaic restoration of the third villa is going on, so that they could be stood on the site; a first restored paving has been presented in the museum since 2004.
All the actions for improving Plassac‘s estate are included in the implementation of a sustainable cultural and development policy in Haute Gironde.