Arènes de Lutèce

The Arenas of Lutetia are one of the rare surviving traces of Roman antiquity in Paris: the amphitheater was built in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, when the city was called Lutetia and was under the rule of the Roman Empire. The arenas were created as a multifunctional space for gladiator fights, theatrical performances, and public gatherings, and they could accommodate up to fifteen thousand spectators. The arenas of Lutetia were partially destroyed in the late 3rd century, around 275 AD, during the Germanic (Frankish and Alamanic) raids on Lutetia, and they were never rebuilt. They were subsequently abandoned and remained hidden beneath the city for a long time, until they were rediscovered during the construction of the Rue Monge in the 19th century, sparking a wave of interest among Parisian intellectuals, including Victor Hugo, who advocated for the preservation and restoration of the monument. Today, the arenas are open to the public and serve as a peaceful urban space where you can see the remains of the ancient walls, the stage platform, and the spectator seats. However, much of the structure has been lost, and it would be great to restore it to experience the atmosphere of Roman Lutetia and the fascinating history of its disappearance and rebirth. The overall impression is somewhat sad due to its neglect and unwelcoming nature. This place deserves proper attention....

I LOVE ruins! The arena is about 2000 years old and partially restored. It's ideal because it's free, easily accessible, and beautiful. The gardens around the arena are lovely and peaceful.

Free to visit. The Roman theatre from the first century AD once hosted theatrical shows and gladiatorial contests and could seat 15,000 people. Much of the seating was destroyed and what you can see now is new. But you can still see the huge stage. It's now a city park and easily accessible.

Hidden gem behind apartment buildings. Lively little “playground” for all ages. Men playing pétanque/boule, children playing, people relaxing on the former seats of the Roman arena

An ancient Roman arena dated back in the 2nd century BC and, at the same time, a wonderful place for relaxation in the heart of the 5th arrondissement of Paris. If in the area, take a look

This old roman amphitheater turned into public garden is an amazing place to come relax in the heart of paris, read a book or have a bite. I also got to people watch french people and families playing and having their noon breaks. A nice clash of history and nature. It is free of charge.

Nice little wooded garden surrounded the not visually impressive Roman ruin. But fun to walk the surrounding streets back toward Luxembourg Gardens.

Amazing to find a Roman amphitheatre in the middle of Paris!

Long lost Roman arena? My two boys couldn't wait to see this. As we sat in the almost empty park, we read online (free Wifi) about the arenas discovery and preservation. Oh and gladiators fought here-really nothing more to say.

I love that an ancient Roman amphitheater that dates back to the first century and would be considered a must-see in most cities is now just a quiet park tucked away in the Latin Quarter. I don't think it's a sight many people stumble upon because it's tucked away and unless you know what you're looking for - you would just walk on by it. The arena now seems to be used as a park by the locales, when I visited, there were a few guys in their twenties kicking around a soccer ball and a few groups of elderly people playing a game of boules. I recommend grabbing a sandwich or other yummy goodies from Eric Kayser and coming here for a quiet and relaxing picnic lunch if you feel you need to escape the usual crowds of the 5th.

I have been looking for free things to do in Paris on my lowly assistante de langue pay, and saw this on coolstuffinparis.com. Since it is really close to where I live (about a 5 minute walk), I wandered over today after work. I can't believe I can walk for a few minutes and set foot in a relic of Roman culture right in the heart of Paris. Now it functions as a park, and apparently even has WiFi according to a sign inside. Walking among the children playing football and climbing the stars around the arena, I cannot believe that gladiators competed here long ago. I noticed a couple of cages built into the stadium being used for storage, and Wikipedia confirmed (yes, I know, reliable sources and all that, blah blah...it's technically "peer-reviewed"...) that they were used to contain animals for the fights. How cool is that? In fact, this site has some amazing history. It was demolished so the materials could be used to help reinforce defenses around Île de la Cité in 240 A.D., and was then used as a cemetery before being filled in and "lost" until sometime in the 1860's when it was rediscovered and VICTOR HUGO himself led preservation efforts. Sometimes the rich history of Paris absolutely dazzles me, and this is one of those times. And did I mention that it's FREE?! Go check it out!