Riez · 04

Riez, cité antique — colonnes romaines & baptistère

At the gateway to the Verdon, on the Valensole plateau, Riez still has four Roman columns standing since antiquity, and one of the rare early Christian baptisteries in Provence.

The four Roman columns of Riez, remains of a temple from the late 1st century, standing in the plain at the foot of the Provençal village, on the Valensole plateau

The essentials

Four monolithic Roman columns in grey granite, topped with white marble Corinthian capitals and an architrave — the remains of a temple from the late 1st century AD.
An early Christian baptistery (built between the 5th and 7th century), with an octagonal plan set within a square — one of the rare early Christian buildings preserved in Provence.
Eight ancient granite columns with marble Corinthian capitals support the baptistery's dome, around the old baptismal font.
A lapidary museum, housed in the baptistery, founded in 1929 by Marcel Provence, bringing together pieces that are mostly Gallo-Roman.
Riez was a Roman city founded under Augustus, one of the Latin-right cities of the Narbonnaise, at the gateway to the Verdon and the Valensole plateau.

The Roman columns

Four columns survive, monolithic and of grey granite, standing almost 5.90 metres tall.
They are topped with white marble Corinthian capitals bearing an architrave.
They date from the late 1st century AD and are the remains of a temple; its dedication to Apollo has been suggested, but this remains a hypothesis.
Preserved in place since antiquity, they have been listed as historic monuments since the 1840 list.
They stand in the plain below the village, isolated in the middle of the fields.

The early Christian baptistery

An early Christian building erected between the 5th and 7th century, it is one of the rare buildings of this kind preserved in Provence.
It has an octagonal interior plan set within a square outer structure, with four small apses in the corners.
The dome rests on eight ancient granite columns topped with marble Corinthian capitals, arranged in a circle.
The baptismal font, placed at the centre of the circle of columns, now survives only as fragments.
The baptistery, built using reclaimed stones from former Roman baths, was part of a cathedral group; today it houses the lapidary museum.

Riez, an ancient city

The Roman city, founded under the emperor Augustus, bore a name passed down in a form close to “Reia Apollinaris” (spellings vary from source to source).
It was one of the Latin-right cities of the province of the Narbonnaise, and was governed by quattuorvirs (four magistrates).
It stood at the confluence of valleys followed by Roman roads; a road built in the year 3 linked it to Aix-en-Provence, among other routes.
Having become an episcopal see, it preserves, with its columns and its baptistery, a rare ancient and early Christian ensemble in Provence.

Why Riez

Riez sits on the Valensole plateau, between the Gorges du Verdon and the lavender fields — a gateway to the Verdon Regional Nature Park.
The village packs a rare ancient heritage into one place: Roman columns and an early Christian baptistery can be visited on the same stop.
It is labelled a “Villages et Cités de Caractère” of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
It also preserves a medieval and Renaissance heritage: ramparts and gates, the Tour de l’Horloge (Clock Tower), historic townhouses, and gypseries (ornamental plasterwork).

Getting there & visiting

Riez is located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04500), on the Valensole plateau, between the Gorges du Verdon and the lavender fields. The four Roman columns stand on the plain below the village; the early Christian baptistery and its lapidary museum are a little further out, on the site of the former cathedral group. The village is a gateway to the Verdon Regional Nature Park, accessible by road from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Gréoux-les-Bains and Valensole.

Frequently asked questions

How many Roman columns remain in Riez, and from when do they date?

Four monolithic columns of grey granite, standing almost 5.90 m tall, with white marble Corinthian capitals. They are the remains of a temple dated to the late 1st century AD, preserved in place since antiquity.

When does the Riez baptistery date from, and why is it remarkable?

It was built between the 5th and 7th century and is one of the rare early Christian buildings preserved in Provence. Its dome rests on eight ancient granite columns with marble capitals, around the old baptismal font.

What can you see in the lapidary museum?

Housed in the baptistery, it was founded in 1929 by Marcel Provence and brings together pieces that are mostly Gallo-Roman: steles, altars and other lapidary elements from the ancient city.

Was Riez really a Roman city?

Yes. Founded under Augustus, it was one of the Latin-right cities of the Narbonnaise, governed by quattuorvirs, at the confluence of several roads, before becoming an episcopal see.

All the museums of the Verdon The history of the Verdon Discover Riez Verdon culture

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