Archaeologists in southern France have uncovered the remains of a fifth-century Christian cathedral during renovation works beneath the market halls of a town. The discovery has been described by experts as of “exceptional” importance for understanding the spread of Catholicism in France.
The dramatic news was presented to the press on 31 July in Vence, a town in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, after excavations that began in March revealed the foundations of a cathedral more than 30 metres long – abandoned and razed in the 11th century – along with a burial ground for bishops, canons and local dignitaries.
