In 1632 the construction of the Convent of the Visitation was based on architectural plans by François Mansart. The building, with its church and cloister, was erected on the site of mediaeval houses following the line of the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Jacques (present Rue Saint-Jacques). The convent's garden extended much further to the east, as far as the present Rue d'Ulm. The oldest surviving plan, known as "de Bâle", shows that before this implantation it was an arable zone with few constructions, probably reflecting the situation of the Middle Ages. In fact, at this time it was outside the town delimited by Philippe Auguste's wall.
In 1903, the convent was sold by the Visitandines. Then in 1910, when the Institut Océanographique was created the convent was demolished. The excavation concerns part of the eastern wing of the convent cloister, set back from the line of the Rue Saint-Jacques. Its foundations, including that of a monumental front looking out over the garden, have been found. Further to the east, a thick layer of vegetal earth, corresponding to this garden, has been brought to light. These levels have protected the remains of the Roman town.

The excavation corresponds to a zone of dwellings from the Roman period. The important buildings of Lutetia rose in tiers over the northern slope of the Montagne Saint-Geneviève: on top, the forum and its baths (Rue Soufflot and Rue Gay Lussac), the theatre (Rue Racine), the baths of the College de France (Rue des Ecoles), lower down the baths of Cluny (Boulevard Saint-Germain), and lastly to the east, the amphitheatre (Arènes de Lutèce, Rue Monge). Excavations carried out over the last few years in this part of Paris show that the southern slope of the hill was only occupied by houses.

The street, witness of the first urbanization of Paris
The excavation has revealed the existence of a Roman street. Its orientation is different from that of the monuments and main streets of Lutetia which were at right-angles from the cardo maximus* (present rue Saint-Jacques). This different orientation could be based on a more ancient line still visible in the section of the Rue Saint-Jacques, between the Rue de l'Abbé-de-L'Épée and the Rue du Val-de-Grâce. The creation of this street can be dated from the reign of Augustus (27 BC- 14 AD). It was preceded, still during the reign of Augustus, by a small pioneer installation doubtless intended to prepare the site before the foundation of the Roman town.
One of the goals of this research was to date this first installation more precisely.

Almost 8 metres wide, it was bordered from the outset by ditches. Later, it was subjected to a whole series of refills* until it was abandoned in the 3rd century AD. Slightly cambered, it was made up, at different periods, of gravel and small stone fillings. Successive improvements were the creation of gutters and sidewalks often made of marl (calcareous clay)*. Bordering these successive streets, houses were built, and often reconstructed orthogonally. The interior arrangements could change, but the original building lots were generally respected.
The houses of each side.
The walls of the houses were of cob, reinforced by wattle structures*, resting on stringer beams*; the floors were of beaten earth. The excavations should improve our knowledge of these first dwellings and enable us to date them more precisely. Stone masonry made its appearance in second third of the 1st century AD and little by little replaced preceding techniques. More sophisticated installations, dating from the 2nd century, have been found: parts of a private bathroom with varied paving and a hypocaust*. Elements of paintings on walls, generally collapsed, were also found. This was the last period of the antique occupation of this zone of Paris.

During the 3rd century, this quarter was progressively abandoned, the masonry was partly recuperated, only leaving for the archaeologists wall fragments or their "ghost", floors were left in place as were objects of everyday life. This was part of a vast movement of reduction of town life which can be seen in the whole of Gaul. Human occupation was concentrated around monumental edifices, then in the Île de la Cité, protected from the 4th century by a wall. One had to wait fourteen centuries with the installation of the Convent of the Visitation for the town to regain this lost land.

Curation and scientific control: Ministère de la Culture – Drac/SRA Ile de France
Archaeological research: Inrap
Archaeologist responsible for the scientific running of the operation:
Didier Busson, Dhaap, Direction des affaires culturelles, Ville de Paris http//www.paris-culture.fr
Zone involved: Université Pierre et Marie Curie