Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trees on the far side of the river—a fun, recommended restaurant, Le Bercail. The island in
the river is the Ile de la Barthelasse, a nature preserve where Avignon can breathe.
FortSt.André(acrosstheriveronthehill;seetheinfoplaquetotheleft)wasbuiltbythe
French in 1360, shortly after the pope moved to Avignon, to counter the papal incursion into
this part of Europe. The castle was across the border, in the kingdom of France. Avignon's
famous bridge was a key border crossing, with towers on either end—one was French, and
the other was the pope's. The French one, across the river, is the Tower of Philip the Fair
(described later, under “More Sights in Avignon”).
Cost and Hours:
Free, park gates open daily April-Sept 7:30-20:00, Oct-March
7:30-18:00.
•
From the smaller viewpoint (with the zodiac), take the stairs to the left (closed at night)
down to the tower. You'll catch glimpses of the...
Ramparts
The only bit of the rampart you can walk on is accessed from St. Bénezet Bridge (pay to
enter—see next). Just after the papacy took control of Avignon, the walls were extended to
take in the convents and monasteries that had been outside the city. What you see today was
restored in the 19th century.
• When you come out of the tower on street level, take the right-side exit and walk left along
the wall to the old bridge. Pass under the bridge to find its entrance shortly after.
▲▲▲
St. Bénezet Bridge (Pont St. Bénezet)
This bridge, whose construction and location were inspired by a shepherd's religious vision,
is the “Pont d'Avignon” of nursery-rhyme fame. The ditty (which you've probably been
humming all day) dates back to the 15th century:
Sur le Pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y
danse, sur le Pont d'Avignon, on y danse tous en rond
(“On the bridge of Avignon, we will
dance, we will dance, on the bridge of Avignon, we will dance all in a circle”).
But the bridge was a big deal even outside of its kiddie-tune fame. Built between 1171
and 1185, it was the only bridge crossing the mighty Rhône in the Middle Ages—important
topilgrims,merchants,andarmies.Itwasdamagedseveraltimesbyfloodsandsubsequently
rebuilt, until 1668, when most of it was knocked down by a disastrous icy flood. Lacking a
government stimulus package, the townsfolk decided not to rebuild this time, and for more
than a century, Avignon had no bridge across the Rhône. While only four arches survive
today, the original bridge was huge: Imagine a 22-arch, 3,000-foot-long bridge extending
from Vatican territory to the lonely Tower of Philip the Fair, which marked the beginning of
France (see displays of the bridge's original length).
