Arena Garden A historic garden with playground and pond in Périgueux

Opening hours

Closed

  • Monday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Tuesday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Wednesday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Thursday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Friday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Saturday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm
  • Sunday 07:30 am - 06:30 pm

Opens at 07:30 am

Useful information

Location : In town

Province : White Périgord

Services

  • Groups
  • Open all year round
  • open 7/7
  • English
    • Périgueux is the best known Roman city in Aquitaine.

      Before the Roman conquest, the current department of Dordogne was occupied by the Celtic people of the Pétrucores or Petrocores.

      When the Emperor Augustus created the province of Aquitaine around 16 BC, he divided it into 21 cities, including the City of the Petrucores (Civitas petrucoriorum) which was given a capital called Vésone (Vesunna in Latin) after a protective indigenous deity.

      Vésone occupied 82 hectares of a meander on the right bank of the Isle. The urban planning and architecture of this new city were to express the Roman order and encourage the local population to adopt a new lifestyle. In the 1st century AD, it already had a forum and an amphitheater for 18,000 spectators.

      The city seems to have been a vast construction site until at least the middle of the 2nd century, with in particular the construction of the large temple known today as the Tour de Vésone.

      As in all of Gaul, public affairs were managed by notables of Gallic origin, who were quickly Romanized. In Vésone, all around the civic center, notable houses (domus) developed from the 1st century. Towards the end of the 3rd century, after a period of recession, the city tightened into a rampart . The monuments were dismantled stone by stone to be reused in the construction of this new monumental adornment. This was the beginning of another type of urban life.

      In the 19th century, the site was converted into a public garden. Listed as a historical monument in 1840, it was remodeled in 1972. It includes a playground and a pond.

      PARK OPENING HOURS:

      • From October 1st to April 1st: from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
      • From April 2 to September 30: from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Français

Traveller Reviews Arena Garden

4.2 sur 5 1179 reviews

  • PASCAL STERNA

    5 sur 5 Reviews posted by PASCAL STERNA on 28/01/2025

    Nice place to recharge your batteries...

  • david poun

    5 sur 5 Reviews posted by david poun on 27/01/2025

  • Corinne Raynal

    5 sur 5 Reviews posted by Corinne Raynal on 16/01/2025

Traveller Reviews Arena Garden

4.0 sur 5 74 reviews

  • "Nice garden, disappointed in the theatre."

    3 / 5 Reviews posted by mitch w (Bordeaux, France) on 17/07/2020

    Living in Bordeaux, I am spoiled with are arena Palais Gallien. While much was dismantled this area is almost completed crumbled. On the other hand a very nice park, great place for kids and other...

    Read the full review
  • "A walk away from the tourist centre but worth it."

    5 / 5 Reviews posted by Jeff F (Warragul, Australia) on 10/08/2019

    Beautiful gardens with a gorgeous soft blue water set of fountains and ponds. Very well maintained with pretty flowers and sculptured trees it was a pleasure to walk through. It’s not large so does...

    Read the full review
  • "Perfect for a quick break when traveling with kids"

    4 / 5 Reviews posted by waterangel21 (Brookline, Massachusetts) on 21/07/2018

    We were feeling tired of driving in the car and pushing the stroller around, so we went here and our toddler could run free for a bit. There’s some small playground equipment, but the real draw was...

    Read the full review

Ride around

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Walking

Périgueux en écomobilité - Quand Périgueux s'appelait Vesunna

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Walking Velo hybrid

Périgueux en écomobilité - Quand Périgueux s'appelait Vesunna

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Arena Garden

Address

9 boulevard des Arènes
24000 Périgueux

Contacts

Phone : 05 53 02 80 22

GPS coordinates

45° 10'57.44"N, 0° 42'46.92"E

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