Roman theatre in Autun 🇨🇵 – The Couhard Pyramid loop from Tintry

Road cycling routes

France

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Autun

Morlet

Roman theatre in Autun 🇨🇵 – The Couhard Pyramid loop from Tintry

Moderate

riders

Roman theatre in Autun 🇨🇵 – The Couhard Pyramid loop from Tintry

02:22

48.1km

600m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 25, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 19.1 km for 109 m

After 20.8 km for 80 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

19.2 km

Roman theatre in Autun 🇨🇵

Highlight • Historical Site

The Roman Theatre of Autun, built around 70 AD, is one of the largest ancient theatres in Roman Gaul. It could accommodate around 15,000 to 20,000 spectators. Located in the city of Autun, formerly called Augustodunum under the Roman Empire, this monument bears witness to the grandeur of the city at that time.
The theatre is distinguished by its vast cavea (the space reserved for spectators), which extends over a natural hill, thus providing excellent acoustics. It is oriented so that spectators have a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. The shows given there were varied: theatrical performances, public speeches, and probably gladiatorial shows or religious ceremonies.
Today, it remains an important archaeological site. Every summer, cultural events are organized there, such as concerts or historical reenactments, in order to revive the spirit of Antiquity.

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20.8 km

Cathedral of Autun

Highlight • Other

The Saint-Lazare Cathedral of Autun is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture in Burgundy, renowned for its sculptures and magnificent architectural details. Built in the 12th century, dedicated to Saint Lazarus, considered the first bishop of Autun, it was an important place of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages, particularly because of the supposed presence of relics of Saint Lazarus.
The cathedral is particularly famous for its tympanum, sculpted by Gislebertus, a master Romanesque sculptor. This tympanum depicts the Last Judgement in striking detail (Christ in majesty, saved and damned souls, and a terrifying representation of demons), reflecting the importance of the religious themes of salvation and damnation in medieval art. This masterpiece is one of the most admired works of Romanesque sculpture.
Inside the cathedral, the capitals of the columns are decorated with biblical scenes and symbolic stories, also attributed to Gislebertus. These sculptures, of great finesse, tell stories taken from the Old and New Testaments.
The cathedral has barrel vaults, semicircular arches and Gothic elements that were added later, including the choir rebuilt in the 15th century. It thus embodies the transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles in Burgundy.
Autun Cathedral deserves… no! Requires your visit.

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20.9 km

Saint-Lazare Cathedral

Highlight • Monument

The Saint-Lazare cathedral located in the heart of the city of Autun is a masterpiece of Roman art.

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23.5 km

The Couhard Pyramid

Highlight • Viewpoint

A must in Autun, a gigantic and imposing monument. This pyramid, which overlooks the city of Autun, was probably built in the 1st century AD.
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1840.
The pyramid stood in one of the great necropolises of the Roman city of Augustodunum, the ancient Autun: the cemeteries of all Roman cities were always located outside the walls. Couhard's pyramid, whose interpretation has given rise to many controversies, was therefore most likely a funerary monument: a tomb covering the remains of a deceased person.
In 1960, at the base of the monument, there is a lead “magic tablet” (15.8 × 5.8 cm) from the 2nd century bearing inscriptions in Latin and Greek, as well as a large cross. This is now in the Rolin Museum in Autun.

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