Thermes gallo-romains d'Évaux-les-Bains et leurs sources très chaudes

Évaux-les-Bains

At Évaux-les-Bains, in the Creuse, the Gallo-Romans built their baths directly over very hot natural springs. The baths date from the end of the 1st century or the 2nd century, and the water was used there until about the 4th century, before being forgotten. The springs were rediscovered in the 17th century. The first excavations took place from 1838 to 1847, then from 1858, during the construction of the Grand Hôtel. The remains have been protected since 1840, on the first list drawn up at the request of Prosper Mérimée. Since April 2022 the Inrap has been excavating about 900 m² and finding unknown parts: four basins in a rectangular building 19 m by 17 m. The most spectacular is the caldarium, a round basin 7.80 m in diameter, where three very hot springs rise around a black marble column topped by a capital and a small statue. It was probably covered by a dome decorated with mosaics. The tepidarium, with a limestone floor and at least 1.50 m deep, is well preserved. The excavators think that one entered from the north, facing the valley, and not from the south as was believed. Today the spa uses water at about 61 °C, a dozen springs being recorded around the thermal establishment; it was heated at more than 2 km depth.

French Ministry of Culture — Découverte archéologique majeure à Évaux-les-Bains ↗

Getting there: The remains lie in rue des Thermes, north of the town, near the Grand Hôtel (part of them extends under the hotel's gallery). The Ministry of Culture press kit (12 May 2022) does not describe the conditions of visit, and I found no more recent source: public access and opening hours not checked. Note: the water of the present-day spa is drawn from boreholes, not at the natural outlet of the ancient springs (DREAL Nouvelle-Aquitaine sheet). Coordinates: ‘Restes des thermes’ node in OpenStreetMap (consulted on 22/10/2026), consistent with the position of the Grand Hôtel in the same database; the exact location of the basins is not verified.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound