Thermes du Nord

Thermes du Nord is an archaeological site in Nice, connected to the Musée d’Archéologie de Nice Cimiez. Its remains belong to ancient Roman public baths. The complex formed part of Cemenelum, the Roman city that once stood in Nice. Roman baths combined bathing with exercise, conversation, and communal daily life. Their rooms had different functions and temperatures. The frigidarium was cold, the tepidarium warm, and the caldarium hot. A palaestra provided space for exercise within the wider bathing complex. A hypocaust raised floors on small pillars, allowing hot air to circulate underneath. Tiles covered walls and floors, while aqueducts supplied water to large storage tanks. The surviving remains show traces of rooms and heating systems from the original complex. They also illustrate Roman construction and urban planning. Thermes du Nord connects archaeological evidence with the routines of Roman inhabitants in Cemenelum. The baths followed principles found across Roman territories, including heated rooms and spaces for social activity. Their layout reflects the technical planning behind a major public facility. The nearby museum places these remains within Nice’s archaeological collections.