Jublains

Visit Jublains, Pays de la Loire

Jublains is a small village situated towards the north of the Mayenne department (Pays-de-la-Loire region) of France, and not far from the town of Mayenne.

It is best known as the site of an important ancient settlement, of which important parts can still be seen. The site, was first established by a gallic tribe called the Diablintes, then later re-occupied by the ancient romans after they had conquered the region, at which time it was called called Noeodunum (or Noviodunum).

There is nothing to see of the original gallic village, that would have been constructed in wood, and the extensive ruins all date from the roman period, when it became an important regional centre.

At Jublains we can clearly distinguish the remains of several important buildings including the roman theatre (still used for summer spectacles) and temple (built to replace an earlier wooden temple, which was the centre of the original gallic village); a substantial fortress (now thought to have been originally a defended storage space rather than a defensive encampment); and the thermal baths (which can be seen beneath the church in the village).

If you only have time to visit one of the roman monuments in Jublains it should be the fortress - you might have seen more complete temples and amphitheatres elsewhere in France, but it's this is the most complete fortress that i remember seeing. The substantial building was more than 10000 square metres, and had large towers at each corner and in the walls.

You access the ruins of the fortress through the Archaeological Museum at Jublains, which presents artefacts both discovered at the site and in the region to explain the history of Mayenne. Take the time to look around the museum, which contains some very interesting artefacts including busts, carvings, ornaments and mosaics.

Note: photo of Jublains is copyright

See Pays-de-la-Loire and Mayenne (the region and department for Jublains) for more travel ideas...

Tourist classifications for Jublains: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 2*; Jublains falls within the Pays d'Art et d'Histoire Coëvrons-Mayenne region

Suggested places to visit near Jublains, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Saulges 31km; Bagnoles de l'Orne 33km; Saint-Ceneri-le-Gerei 35km; Domfront 39km; Alencon 47km;

Jublains tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Saint-Loup-du-Gast - ville fleurie 4* (16km) : Parc et jardin de Clivoy - remarkable garden (28km) : Saint-Fraimbault - ville fleurie 4* (30km) : La Cropte - ville fleurie 4* (33km) : Normandie-Maine - regional natural parc (33km) : Juvigne - ville fleurie 4* (40km) : Carrouges Chateau - national monument (42km) : Jardins de la Pellerine - remarkable garden (42km) :

See more places and a map at places near Jublains