Entremont, Aix-en-Provence, France

Entremont is a 3.5-hectare archaeological site three kilometres from Aix-en-Provence at the extreme south of the Puyricard plateau. In antiquity, the oppidum at Entremont was the capital of the Celtic-Ligurian confederation of Salyes. It was settled between 180 and 170 BCE, somewhat later than the inhabitation of other oppida, such as Saint-Blaise (7th to 2nd centuries BCE). The site was abandoned when it was taken by the Romans in 123 BCE and replaced by Aquae Sextiae (modern Aix-en-Provence), a new Roman city founded at the foot of the plateau. By 90 BCE, the former oppidum was completely uninhabited.

The site contains two distinct areas of settlement surrounded by ramparts. Archaeologist Fernand Benoit named the older area, on the summit, 'Ville Haute', and the lower 'Ville Basse'. Subsequently it was recognised that the latter was an enlargement of the former, and they are now labelled 'Habitat 1' and 'Habitat 2', respectively.

Finds from the site are displayed at Musée Granet and include statues, bas-reliefs and impressive severed heads.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Ozge Ozdemir (12 months ago)
Interesting place. There were 2 large boards with detailed explanations (in general for the site). On a Monday morning in July, there were no employees, no security, not one soul. If you are afraid of being alone in a vast area with no sign of human company, you shouldn’t go alone. Closed between 12 - 14:00. Also, the bus 11 takes you from the city center to the site and back, but the driver I had was a bit careless. The bus stop was obviously only for number 11 and I was waiting at the bus stop, looking at the time table. He just drove so fast and passed by that I couldn’t even make a sign for him to stop. The road looks like intercity, definitely not residential. I had to walk another 8 minutes downhill through the park (by the highway) to get to another crossroads.

Dave Rogalsky (2 years ago)
Rugged area-wear good shoes and expect quite a bit of walking. A few didactics in English and German, as well as French. Not much to see unless you're a Guy Gavriel Kay (author) fan. Great view of Mont St. Victoire.

Alexandre Nunes de Oliveira (2 years ago)
If you are interested in archeology, history, and general culture, this is a great place to visit. ?? Plus, the entrance is free and the surrounding landscape is inspiring, perfect for a relaxing walk. * je suis venu au printemps 2022 *

Ferd Sen (3 years ago)
Very nice! There is a German and English translation on the large information board. At the bottom of the main road already parking strips, but calmly drive the white sign after the T-junction right up the mountain, there is a large parking lot at the top :)

Hans Goertz (3 years ago)
Interesting historical site

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