--- title: "Temple de Janus, Autun: Gallo-Roman Temple Ruins" description: "Two walls of a 1st-century Gallo-Roman temple rise over 20 metres in the meadows by Autun. Allow 30 minutes, a day trip by private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/temple-de-janus-autun lang: en updated: 2026-09-30 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/temple-de-janus-autun.png --- # Temple of Janus (Temple de Janus) > Temple of Janus: Two towering walls of a Gallo-Roman temple standing alone in the meadows outside Autun. Temple of Janus is in Autun (Saône-et-Loire), 48 min by road (55 km) from Beaune. Allow 30 minutes · Private driver from Beaune: €170 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. Just north-west of Autun, two walls of a Gallo-Roman temple rise more than 20 metres above the meadows of the Arroux valley. Despite its name, nobody knows which god was worshipped here. It is one of the most striking Roman ruins in Burgundy, and only a few minutes from the town centre. ## Key facts - Type: Heritage - Where: Autun · Saône-et-Loire - Location: 40 km west of Beaune · Saône-et-Loire - Coordinates: 46.9612, 4.2885 - 48 min from Beaune - Allow 30 minutes - Autun - Official website: [autun-tourisme.com](https://www.autun-tourisme.com/decouvrez/une-cite-gallo-romaine/) - From Beaune: ≈ 48 min · 55 km - €170 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 (55 km), €170 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 The temple stood at the centre of a large sanctuary outside the walls of Augustodunum, in an area occupied since Neolithic times. It was built in the Roman period, most likely in the 1st century AD, on the model of Celtic temples: a square central chamber, the cella, surrounded by a covered gallery. Excavations since 2013 have revealed the extent of the sanctuary around it, including earlier structures beneath the temple itself. The name Janus has no archaeological basis. It probably grew from the local place name, la Genetoye, a spot where broom grows, which a 16th-century historian linked to the Latin for roof of Janus. In the Middle Ages the walls were reused in a fortified position with a ditch, which may explain why they survived so well. The temple was on France's first list of historic monuments in 1840. ## What you will see A short walk across the meadow brings you to the foot of the ruin. Two complete walls of the cella still stand, with the start of the other two. Look for the rows of beam holes high on the outer faces, which once held the roof of the gallery that ran around the sanctuary, and for the niches that framed statues. The flat valley setting makes the walls look even taller. ## Planning your visit The temple stands in open country beyond the river Arroux, about 400 metres from the old Roman city, and pairs naturally with the Porte d'Arroux on the way. Allow 30 minutes. The grass can be wet after rain, so sensible shoes help, and the soft light of morning or late afternoon is best for photographs. ## Did you know? The surviving walls rise more than 20 metres and are about 2.2 metres thick, faced entirely with small squared sandstone blocks, without the brick courses often seen in Roman walls. ## Around Temple of Janus What to combine with Temple of Janus on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Maranges](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/maranges) (29 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) (17 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 - [Arroux Gate (Porte d’Arroux)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/porte-d-arroux-autun), 1 km away: A Roman city gate from the reign of Augustus, with its four arches still standing. - [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), 2 km away: One of the largest theatres of Roman Gaul, still used for performances on summer nights. ## Questions about Temple of Janus ### How far is Temple of Janus from Beaune? Temple of Janus is about 48 min from Beaune by road (55 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €170 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Temple of Janus take? For the visit, allow 30 minutes. ### When is Temple of Janus 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 Temple of Janus? 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:janus): €170 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - --- Canonical page: