Archaeologists uncover Gaulish Lutetia wall beneath Paris' Hôtel-Dieu
Excavations under the Hôtel-Dieu on Île de la Cité have revealed a section of the ancient Gallic fortifications of Lutetia, confirming the city's origin at the heart of modern Paris.
Archaeologists working beneath the Hôtel-Dieu on the Île de la Cité have unearthed a portion of the wall that encircled the Gallic oppidum of Lutetia, the settlement of the Parisii before Roman conquest in 52 BC. The discovery was made by researchers from the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap) during preventive digs in the historic district. By exposing this fortification, the team provides concrete proof that the ancient city was situated in the central island of the Seine, countering theories that placed it in present-day Nanterre.
The find aligns with Julius Caesar’s description of Lutetia as an island settlement that was set ablaze and its bridges cut when Roman legions approached. Scholars say the evidence will reshape understandings of Paris’s earliest urban development.
Why it matters
The discovery settles a historic debate about Paris's origins, reshaping the narrative of the city’s ancient past.
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