From roman remains to frankish cemeteries

In Mont-Cauvaire, History does not merely sleep beneath the shroud of fallen leaves; it manifests through the overlapping layers of millennia. While the famous "Côte des Châteaux" draws the eye with its medieval earthworks, the subsoil of the plateau reveals a far older occupation, bearing witness to the passing of Roman builders and Frankish warriors.

A Strategic Crossroads since Antiquity The site of the Côte des Châteaux serves as a privileged vantage point, ideally situated to control the ancient road connecting Dieppe to Le Neubourg. In this sector, the Romans leave tangible traces of their presence. Archaeologists find millstones, statuettes, and, above all, abundant coins in bronze and silver. These discoveries confirm the existence of a castellum or a watch-camp protecting the communication routes of the Seine-Inférieure.

The Treasure of the Frankish Cemeteries. It is in the 19th century that the past resurfaces with particular intensity. In 1816, Amédée Féret de Neuville uncovers a Frankish cemetery on the heights of Le Tot. The riches exhumed at that time join the collections of the Jumièges Abbey museum.

In 1861, a new excavation campaign, recorded by Abbé Cochet, delivers a spectacular inventory of life and death in the Early Middle Ages. Archaeologists discover twelve black and white earthenware vases, as well as a characteristic warrior's arsenal: three scramasaxes (Frankish sabres), seven iron knives, and various combat accessories.

The Art of Metal and Adornment. The precision of the craftsmen's work during the Frankish era is remarkable. The graves reveal eight iron belt bands, three in bronze, and clasps with engraved plates. One also finds delicate ornaments such as bronze fibulae, glass beads, and openwork belt decorations. More recently, another significant treasure was discovered by chance by Mr de Vesly, completing this prestigious catalogue.

A Historical Continuity Revealed by Science. Today, LiDAR technology allows these remains to be situated within their topographical context. It confirms that later medieval structures often reused these strategic locations already occupied by the Gauls and the Romans.

Between the Cailly and Clérette valleys, Mont-Cauvaire appears as a true crossroads of eras. From the ramparts of what was once a lair for armed men, the wanderer contemplates the "great road of becoming", where every exhumed object tells a page of Normandy’s formation.