Saint-Bénézet bridge
The Pont Saint-Bénézet, famously known as the Pont d'Avignon, is an iconic 12th-century bridge and symbol of Provence that originally spanned the Rhône with 22 arches, though only four remain today after the others were washed away during the Middle Ages.
The Saint-Bénézet Bridge, famously known worldwide as the Pont d'Avignon, is a medieval stone structure located at 26 Rue Ferruce. Originally constructed between 1177 and 1185, it served as the primary crossing over the Rhône river between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
This bridge was historically vital as one of the few places to cross the Rhône in the region, making it a critical strategic chokepoint. It heavily controlled and taxed the lucrative trade routes and religious pilgrimage paths traveling between Italy and Spain during the Middle Ages.
Today, visiting the site offers a dramatic and slightly surreal visual experience. You walk out onto a massive, heavily fortified stone structure that simply stops halfway across the water, abruptly ending mid-river with a sheer drop down to the fast-flowing Rhône below.
The bridge as it stands today is only a tiny fraction of its original massive scale. While only four stone arches survive today after centuries of being battered by violent river floods, the original medieval structure spanned an incredible 920 meters and featured 22 sweeping arches.