Roman Aqueduct, Fréjus: View of remaining above ground arches

Forum Iulii was founded by Caesar in 49 BCE; the port was named ‘Claustra Maris’ (The sea bolt). The town declined in the Pax Romana, and was later attacked by Muslim invaders. By the 10th century there was very little left of the colony. Sea-borne silt clogged up the port and led to the formation of a huge swampy plain, which then separated the village from the sea. The aqueduct of Fréjus was built in the middle of the first century and functioned for 450 years until the 5th century. It is 42 km long and runs mostly in a covered conduit for 36.4 km and for 1.8 km on bridges and 500 m on walls. Large parts of the aqueduct are still well preserved, and in fact were partially restored and used for agriculture between 1874 and 1910.