Known in Roman times as Noviodunum, Jublains is a quiet agricultural town in the Mayenne département with an outsized archaeological heritage. The remains of a Roman fortress, theatre, and thermal baths are all within walking distance, making it one of the best-preserved Gallo-Roman sites in northwestern France.
The Musée de Jublains, upgraded in 1995, houses finds from the site and explains the town's importance as a regional capital under Roman rule. The Roman fortress walls are the highlight — unusually intact and atmospheric. The Roman theatre and thermal baths complete the picture of a properly substantial Gallo-Roman town.
Jublains is a short detour if you are driving through the Loire Valley or heading toward Brittany, and worth the stop for anyone interested in Roman history.