Thermes de Cluny

The Thermes de Cluny are the best-preserved remains of a Roman bath complex in Paris, incorporated into the Musée de Cluny (Musée National du Moyen Âge) in the Latin Quarter. The baths date to the Roman period of Lutetia and survive as archaeological ruins beneath the museum.

Visitors see substantial masonry remains including the large vaulted frigidarium and sections of the bath complex’s foundations and walls. The Roman ruins are presented alongside medieval museum displays, making the site notable for both ancient archaeology and medieval art.

Constructed during the Roman occupation of Lutetia, the baths were in use in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and later fell into disuse. In the Middle Ages the site and neighboring properties were repurposed; the Hôtel de Cluny was built in the 15th century and the combined complex later became the national museum of the Middle Ages.

Located in Paris’s Latin Quarter in the 5th arrondissement, the Thermes de Cluny sit near the Sorbonne and are within easy walking distance of other central Paris landmarks.

• Date: The visible bath ruins date to the Roman city of Lutetia and are generally assigned to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
• Museum integration: The site is integrated into the Musée de Cluny (Musée National du Moyen Âge), which combines the Roman remains with later medieval collections.

What to See #

• Frigidarium: Frigidarium - a large vaulted hall from the Roman baths where remains of the bathing complex are most visible to visitors.
• Musée de Cluny galleries: Museum galleries above the baths house medieval collections including the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series.