--- title: "Porte d’Arroux, Autun: Roman Gate of Augustus" description: "Autun's Roman north gate, built under Augustus, keeps four arches and part of its gallery. Seen from the street in 20 minutes. Private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/porte-d-arroux-autun lang: en updated: 2026-10-02 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/porte-d-arroux-autun.png --- # Arroux Gate (Porte d’Arroux) > Arroux Gate: a Roman city gate from the reign of Augustus, with its four arches still standing. Arroux Gate is in Autun (Saône-et-Loire), 48 min by road (54 km) from Beaune. Allow 20 to 30 minutes · Private driver from Beaune: €165 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. The Porte d'Arroux marked the northern entrance to Augustodunum, on the road to Auxerre. Its four arches and part of its upper gallery survive after two thousand years. With the Porte Saint-André on the eastern side of town, it is one of the two Roman gates still standing in Autun. ## Key facts - Type: Heritage - Where: Autun · Saône-et-Loire - Location: 40 km west of Beaune · Saône-et-Loire - Coordinates: 46.9599, 4.2954 - 48 min from Beaune - Allow 20 to 30 minutes - Autun - Official website: [autun-tourisme.com](https://www.autun-tourisme.com/decouvrez/une-cite-gallo-romaine/) - From Beaune: ≈ 48 min · 54 km - €165 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 48 min by road (54 km), €165 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History When Augustodunum was founded under Augustus, it received a rampart about 6 kilometres long with four main gates. The Porte d'Arroux, also called the Porte de Sens, controlled the road north towards Auxerre. Two wide central passages served vehicles, and two narrower side passages served people on foot. Above ran a gallery of ten arches carrying the walkway of the rampart, and tall towers once flanked the gate on either side. Research in the 2010s showed that a second building stood on the town side, creating an inner courtyard. It worked like an airlock, where travellers could be checked and goods taxed. Probably in the Middle Ages, the gate was turned into a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame d'Arroux. The towers and the courtyard building disappeared, and what remained was listed as a historic monument in 1846. ## What you will see Stand in front of the gate to see its four round arches and, above them, the arcade of the upper gallery. The grooves that guided the portcullis are still visible in the stone. The pale limestone facing came from quarries on the Côte Chalonnaise, more than 30 kilometres away. Across town, the Porte Saint-André keeps its gallery and one of its towers, restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc. ## Planning your visit The gate stands at the northern edge of the old town, on the road leading down to the river, and can be seen from the street at any time. Allow 20 minutes, or continue to the Temple de Janus just beyond the river. To see the Porte Saint-André as well, ask your driver to loop round the eastern side of town. ## Did you know? Since 1945, the surviving tower of the Porte Saint-André, Autun's other Roman gate, has served as a Protestant church, and its bell hangs in one of the Roman arches. ## Around Arroux Gate What to combine with Arroux Gate on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Maranges](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/maranges) (28 km away): Three villages on the last slopes of the Côte de Beaune, sharing one appellation for bright, fruity reds. ### Châteaux - [Château de Sully](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-sully) (15 km away): A moated Renaissance château where Marshal Mac-Mahon was born, still home to his family. - [Château de Morlet](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-morlet) (16 km away): A fortified manor near Épinac with a striking Renaissance gatehouse of 1584. - [Château d’Épinac](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-d-epinac) (17 km away): Nicolas Rolin's castle above the Drée valley, which gave its name to the town of Épinac. ### Things to do - [Temple of Janus (Temple de Janus)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/temple-de-janus-autun), 1 km away: Two towering walls of a Gallo-Roman temple standing alone in the meadows outside Autun. - [Porte Saint-André](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/porte-saint-andre-autun) (1 km away): The best-preserved Roman gate of Autun, with its arcaded gallery and a tower that is now a Protestant church. - [Roman Theatre of Autun (Théâtre romain d’Autun)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/theatre-romain-autun), 1 km away: One of the largest theatres of Roman Gaul, still used for performances on summer nights. ## Questions about Arroux Gate ### How far is Arroux Gate from Beaune? Arroux Gate is about 48 min from Beaune by road (54 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €165 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Arroux Gate take? For the visit, allow 20 to 30 minutes. ### When is Arroux Gate open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (autun-tourisme.com) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Arroux Gate? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:arroux): €165 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - - --- Canonical page: