Situated in the Vosges Mountains and perched on a limestone plateau surrounded by forests, the village of Grand was, in the 1st century, an ancient city with the supposed name of Andesina. Do you want to discover the vestiges of the past? To Antiquity!
Erected in honour of Apollo, the present name of the city "Great" is derived from "Grannus", the other name given to the God of the Sun. An important religious city, at the beginning of our era the city was home to tens of thousands of inhabitants. Fallen into oblivion in the Middle Ages, due to its distance from the trade routes of the time, its remains were only rediscovered in the 19th century.
In the heart of the city, discover first of all the Grand museum with the flagship piece of the remains: one of the most colourful and extensive mosaics in Europe. Discovered in 1883 and restored in 2009, this 232 square metre work of art represents geometric drawings, animals or, in its centre, a theatre stage. Ornamentation of a church, a house of a rich dignitary or public monument...: doubts still remain as to the function of the building in which it rested.
Further away from the city stands a gigantic amphitheatre.
Its 17,000 seats make it one of the 10 largest in the Gallo-Roman world. In the bleachers, protected by a wooden structure, you will be able to attend theatre performances.
Indeed, the city offers many activities to bring its precious heritage to life. Mosaic workshops, historical reconstitutions or initiations to Gallo-Roman craft techniques: Grand will make you live History.
An essential stopover in the Grand Est region to be prepared here.
Marie from Comme des Français
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History buffs: here are some other impressive sites to discover
- The ancient forum of Bavay
- The Reignac stronghold
- The medieval city of Rocamadour
Crédits photo : (1) ©Conseil départemental des Vosges, C_ Voegelé / (2) ©Conseil départemental des Vosges Th_ Dechezleprêtre / (3 et 4) ©CD88, B_Prud-homme / (5) ©Conseil départemental des Vosges, C_ Voegelé.
