Arenes de Lutece visitor guide

Visit Arenes de Lutece, Paris

The Arena of Lutece is the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, in the centre of Paris in the 5th arrondissement (south of the river) between the Pantheon and the Jardin des Plantes.

Discover the Arena of Lutece

France This Way review: there is not a great deal to see here, the Arena of Lutece is certainly not among the most impressive Roman amphitheatres in France, but it is interesting to see if you are passing, and there is a nice garden on one side of the arena.

View across the arena of Lutece

The arena has its origins at the beginning of the 2nd century, when the Romans controlled the city. As a result it is the most ancient monument in the city. The arena fell into disrepair from the 3rd century, after barbarian invasions had forced the Romans out of Paris (or Lutetia, as the city was then known, called Lutece in French, hence the name of the arena).

It was lost for many centuries, then rediscovered during works in the 19th century. The arena by now was 12 metres underground, which gives us an idea of the scale of the changes that had taken place in the intervening 1700 years.

The arena was built to combine two functions: that of amphitheatre, for gladiatorial combats, and as a theatre where plays could take place on a stage. This idea of combining the two functions was quite unusual, although examples do exist, for example there is a similar amphitheatre in Algeria.

The arena could seat up to 15 000 people. Most of the seating we see today is a more recent recreation rather than the original, although the stage of the theatre is largely original.

The arena is mostly used as a meeting place for locals, and a centre for playing petanque, so you will see lots of Parisians sat on the steps around the atmosphere. Occasional theatrical and musical event also take place in the arena.

Next to the arena, you can stroll through the Square of the Arènes de Lutece and Square Capitan. This garden was built in the 19th century on the site of an ancient reservoir and features a small area of classical style architecture, with stairs and a fountain, as well a a garden area.

The garden is quite small, but rather attractive, and with a few seats where you can rest from the endless walking that a trip to Paris usually involves!

The statue and column you see in the gardens is a monument to Gabriel de Mortillet, one of the first scientists to write about prehistory. The bronze bust that originally stood on top of the column was melted down in 1942

It is free to enter the Arènes de Lutece. The closest metro station to the arena is the Jussieu station, on lines 7 and 10 of the Paris metro.

Statue in the gardens next to the Arena of Lutece

Attractions nearby

The most important attractions close to the arena, are the Pantheon to the west and the Jardin des Plantes to the east. You can also walk passed the famous Sorbonne university to the north of here.

See more Ancient Monuments in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.

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Places to visit near Arenes de Lutece

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