Paris dates back to Gallic Roman times when it was known as Lutèce. However, you won’t find many signs of this ancient history in the usual tourist spots. While these ancient remains might not make the top ten attractions list in Paris, there are two notable sites: the Baths of Cluny and the Arenas of Lutèce.

The Cluny thermal baths are now part of the National Museum, established in 1843 by merging the Gallo-Roman baths and the Hôtel des Abbés of Cluny. The baths, dating back to the 1st to 3rd centuries A.D., were significant public spaces. During your visit, you can see the remaining frigidarium, which is 13 meters high, and the caldarium. In the 15th century, Jacques d’Amboise built a Gothic mansion over the ancient baths, preserving parts of it. You can visit this at the Musée de Cluny, located at Place Paul Painlevé number 6.

The Arenas of Lutèce are 130 meters long and 100 meters wide, with a capacity to hold up to 15,000 people. The Romans built them in the 1st century A.D. for theater performances, gladiator fights, and water games. The arenas were forgotten for more than fifteen centuries and were rediscovered during mid-19th-century works commissioned by Baron Haussmann. Located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, you can access the arenas from 47 rue Monge, rue des Arènes, and Square Capitan. They are open to the public with free admission, from 9:00 to 21:30 in the summer and from 8:00 to 17:30 in the winter.