The Loupian Villa was located in the largest watershed in the area. It has a surface area of more than 200 hectares, and is today home to the feudal-era castrum that was the origin of the modern-day village. The buildings were constructed halfway up the slope, and faced the rising sun. From the site's prevailing location, the owner could take in the farmlands as well as the Etang de Thau. At the base of the slope there is now a depression, which the recent decline in wine-growing has left poorly drained.

 

The landscape in Antiquity was basically the same as it appears today. However archaeological examination of both the estate's buildings and grounds provides a more nuanced picture. Terracing of the slopes took place more recently, and the succession of small walls and embankments cannot be credited to Gallo-Roman farmers.

 

In the same way, according to sondages taken around the villa, the arable land suffered strong erosion since Antiquity – the slopes were stripped of topsoil and a large quantity of sediment was deposited in the lower part of the watershed. At each historical period, these erosive effects, which were linked to intense land development phases that took place up to the present, changed the everyday environment, sometimes covering over archaeological remains with a thick layer of earth.