Located less than an hour from Toulouse and run by true artisans, the Gallic Village is a unique site in Europe
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Located 50 minutes from Toulouse, the Gaulish Village is a truly immersive village that allows you to go back to the time of the Gauls (and the Romans) thanks to around twenty period houses, activities and workshops for working with brass, coins or even leather. A getaway as historic as it is fun in Rieux-Volvestre to enjoy with family or friends; and that we tested for you!
The origins of the Gallic Village
"Ecomuseum, archaeological park, cultural park, the Gallic Village is unclassifiable. The origin of the project, from its construction, through its operation, to its opening, nothing in this place is ordinary, here, everything is different and far from the marked paths."
The Gaulish Village is the fruit of a human adventure and of enthusiasts, in which a team of 2 people embarked, then 5 on the ground, and finally 11 in total with the association's board of directors. An eco-museum of 9 hectares of forest that was created a few years ago and whose location is not due to chance since several Gallic sites have been discovered in the surrounding area.
Having become a cultural laboratory, this archaeological park is today intended for schools, teachers, tourists, researchers and scientists, but also for young and old curious individuals and eager to know more about the Gallic era and our History.
Identical reproductions of houses for total immersion
In this village where everything is indicated on signs, no fewer than twenty small houses are to be visited (be careful, some are not accessible to strollers and wheelchairs), the opportunity to take a leap into the past and into the daily life of the Gauls: how did they sleep? What did they eat? How did they dress? How did they make their weapons to protect themselves from the Romans? All the answers can be found on site thanks to identical reproductions, scenarios, objects, or even artisans…
Each dwelling made of wood, thatch and mud (a mixture of earth and plant fibres) therefore has very specific names to allow visitors to find their way around easily: Woodworking, Weaving/Dyeing, Copperwork, Basketwork, Forge, Pottery, Leatherwork, etc.
Activities for children with the Gallic Artisan Box
"As you discover the village and progress along the paths, children will have several opportunities to put themselves in the shoes of little Gallic artisans and experiment with the techniques of our ancestors!"
For children and throughout the summer, several activities are possible: an introduction to archery (from 4 years old), but also the Gallic Artisan Box. At the beginning of the tour, a small box is given to the children, allowing them to make, during their visit and in the appropriate houses, a coin, a brass engraving or even a decoration on a piece of leather.
Set up under the small huts and with the help of an adult, families (and even the little ones) can thus get busy, as in the time of the Gauls, with these manual activities and leave with a "homemade" souvenir.
"The Gaulish Village is certainly the place where for the first time an experimental coin was minted in front of the general public."
Fun, the Gaulish Village is also the ideal place to learn and ask all the questions to the animators and artisans. Indeed, 100% passionate professionals, dressed in their old-fashioned costumes (including shoes), are present outside or in certain huts to return in detail and with humor to the important stages of the Gallic era: manufacturing weapons using fire, origin of money, etc.
To go even further, remains and even a sanctuary filled with offerings and precious objects have been reproduced.
Crops and animals in the Gallic Village
In the Iron Age (500 BC), the Gallic countryside was dotted with many farms, which indicates that the Gauls cultivated several varieties of wheat, but also vegetable plants, medicinal for dyes and even for magic... To return to this aspect of their life, a botanical garden is to be discovered in the village trail.
And as they were also large breeders, some animals (pigs and black sheep) wander peacefully in the entrance to the Village, where ramparts (against the Romans) have been reproduced. Enough to immerse yourself immediately!
The Gauls made very light boats made of leather stretched over a wickerwork frame to make it waterproof. These small boats called coracles can be transported by a single person and are intended for fishing or transporting goods.
The Village Gaulois has therefore succeeded in reconstructing such boats, which gives rise to a new summer event: every day at 2:30 p.m. a demonstration of coracle navigation on the Garonne will take place.
Also equipped with a restaurant, several picnic areas (at the entrance because it is forbidden to picnic within the village) and a large free car park, the Village Gaulois is the perfect place to spend a day at the gates of the Ville Rose.
