Excisum - musée archéologique d'Eysses

About the museum

The museum displays finds from the excavations of the ancient city of Excisum at Eysses, near Villeneuve-sur-Lot. The site was first a Gaulish town from the 3rd to the 1st century BC, then a Gallo-Roman secondary settlement from the 1st to the 4th century AD. It stood at the crossroads of major routes of antiquity.

Opposite the museum, the remains of a Roman-period sanctuary are still visible. This monumental complex is among the ten largest known in Gaul. The highest part of its 10 m high enclosure wall stands on the Chemin de la Tour. Excavations have also revealed the apse of the curia.

For the period between the 5th and 8th centuries, few remains survive; only a few elements evoke the first Christians and the great migrations. A Benedictine abbey under the patronage of Saints Gervasius and Protasius was founded in the 9th century. In 1264, Alphonse de Poitiers founded the bastide of Villeneuve (a planned medieval new town) together with the abbey, which led to the decline of Eysses. The museum is run by the City of Villeneuve-sur-Lot.

Highlights

• Finds from the excavations of the Gaulish and Gallo-Roman city of Excisum
• Remains of a Gallo-Roman sanctuary, one of the ten largest in Gaul, visible opposite the museum
• Roman tower and 10 m high enclosure wall on the Chemin de la Tour
• Workshops for children and adults
• Play and picnic area nearby

Permanent exhibition

• Mobilier et vestiges d'Excisum – The objects discovered during excavations trace the history of the Gaulish and then Gallo-Roman city, from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD.

Operated by

Ville de Villeneuve-sur-Lot

Admission & discounts

Free admission: During national and European events

Also free for accompanied school groups, young audience workshops, members of ICOM-ICOMOS, the Société d'archéologie et d'histoire de Villeneuve-sur-Lot and the Association des archéologues de Lot-et-Garonne, as well as for press journalists and photographers. Payment by bank card, check or cash.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is accessible to people with disabilities, with reserved parking.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly
• Playground / play area

Workshops for children and adults. Play and picnic area. Accessible with a stroller. Free for children under 7.

Getting there & parking

The sanctuary's enclosure wall is located on the Chemin de la Tour.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Shop. Play and picnic area.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit