There is nothing left any more of the city of Vix which nestled around the hill just north of Châtillon. The fortified settlement was occupied until about 480 BC by the Hallstatt Celts and then by a Gaulish tribe of La Tène culture called the Lingones (La Tène - "the shallows" referring to the shallow end of Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland from which they came). The natural defenses were strengthened by a ditch and rampart at the base, surrounding the hill and running to the river with internal embankments or levées which climb up the shallow slopes facing the river and protect it against waterborne attack.
The main archeological interest in this site lies in the extraordinary quantity of Greek pottery found here, like amphorae and domestic vessels, almost certainly supplied by the Phoecean Greek colony of Massilia (Marseilles) who may have been involved in the overland Tin Road at some time. Foundries have been discovered in the immediate area. At the foot of the hill is a tumulus. This consists of a circular burial mound which was 42m across and 6m high, made of large stones. Within the mound was an internal chamber 3m square and lined with wood. The chamber was excavated in January 1953 and there was found inside the dismantled remains of a funeral chariot surrounded by decorative brass balustrades.
By using four iron handles, the carriage could be lifted clear of its chassis. It had blue and vermillion drapes embroidered with bronze ornaments and the four 30-inch wheels were stacked along one side of the chamber. The chariot contained the body of a woman in her mid to late twenties who had been left propped up in a half-reclining position with her head to the north.
This woman, believed by some to have been a Gallic princess, was festooned with bronze anklets, a bronze torc and with a bracelet of schist and amber beads on her wrist. Her clothing was fastened with bronze and iron brooches and, at her throat, she wore pearl necklaces as well as a necklace of amber and diorite. She also wore a diadem of purest gold weighing around 17 oz. This was made up of a plain curved bar terminating at each end in a lion's paw clasping a poppy head ball and ornamented with a pegasus and Greco-Scythian filigree work.
The tomb was full of treasures from all over the then known world. The largest object was an immense soft-green bronze krater (urn) for mixing wine. With its lid, it stands 6 feet high and weighs almost 200 kg, the largest Greek bronze vessel of this period. Upon it, there is a design of pearls, plus tongued fluting, and the frieze shows the Greek triumph of armoured hoplites with high-crested helmets riding in four-horsed chariots marching in endless procession around the neck. There are also Gorgon heads, with writhing serpents, whose busts form the handles.
There were found other valuable treasures including several Neolithic artifacts, arrowheads and axes, a selection of Greek pottery, several Greek silver cups and bowls, three bronze wine jars from Tuscany, a fine painted pottery drinking cup of the droop type from Massillia, several Attic cups and a bronze pinochoe (wine jar) with a trefoil spout (three arcs arranged in a circle). Every item had been carefully wrapped in cloth. Whoever this princess was, she was held in high esteem far and wide.
Châtillon contains a museum on the Rue de Bourg (open every day except Tuesday) which houses all the treasures from Vix, including the aforementioned bronze krater, as well as many relics from the Roman period which placed the town securely on the map at the intersection of three major Roman roads.
On the same street, you will also see signs to the Source of the Douix which is worth a look. Wattle huts from the 5th century BC have been uncovered here where the Douix bubbles out of the rocks into a pond. The defensive system consisted of a 19m wide continuous ditch 5.7m deep. There was a single zig-zag way across which was controlled by a guardhouse. Earth ramparts then reinforced this ditch on the inside, extending as far as the Seine on the east. Two enormous banks of earth also ensured the protection of the springs and allowed free access to the water.
The River Seine has just started on its journey when it gets to Châtillon-sur-Seine a town halfway between Dijon and Troyes in the northeast corner of Burgundy. This is unspoilt territory with forests and plains, rivers and vineyards. From here you can experience two of the best wine regions in France, Burgundy and Champagne.
The area, the Châtillonais, is an arable plain surrounded by forests of mainly oak and beech. The beautiful natural woodland provides a home for copious wildlife including several protected species of plants such as the wild orchid, the Sabot de Vénus.
Where Burgundy meets the Champagne region to the north, there are the vineyards of the Côteaux du Châtillonnais based around the villages of Belan-sur-Ource, Charrey-sur-Seine, Massingy and Molesmes. With similar soil to its neighbours, sparkling wine, Crémant de Bourgogne is produced using the Champagne method. The label is different but the product is good, and, it is much kinder on the wallet.
Much of Châtillon-sur-Seine was destroyed during the world wars but you can get the flavour of the town by walking through the Quartier St Vorles passing the old houses and alleyways. On this route is the Douix Spring, an area of great beauty, popular with locals for picnics. At the foot of a rocky escarpment over 30 m high, surrounded by lush vegetation, the water gushes out, a sacred place in Celtic times.
A more famous river source is that of the River Seine which lies between St-Seine-l'Abbaye and Chanceaux. Visit the site and you can tell your friends that you have been to Paris for the day as it actually belongs to the City of Paris! In ancient times this was a place of worship and healing, but now there is a man made grotto with a modern statue of a nymph, the original having been destroyed by vandals. The archaeological finds from here are displayed in the Archaeological Museum in Dijon, including the bronze statue of the goddess Sequana on a small Roman boat.
