Pont du Diable

Saint-Jean-de-Fos, France

The Pont du Diable on the Hérault River is one of many bridges in France with this name (it means Devil's bridge). Constructed by Benedictine monks in the first half of the 11th century, it provided a link between the abbey at Aniane and the Gellone Abbey at Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Though subsequently widened and raised several metres around 1770, it has retained its original shape. Vehicular traffic is now catered for by a newer bridge, from which splendid views may be had of the original bridge and an aqueduct that takes water to the vineyards of Saint-Jean-de-Fos.

The bridge has been listed by the French Ministry of Culture as a monument historique since 1935 and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

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Address

Route d'Aniane 15, Saint-Jean-de-Fos, France
See all sites in Saint-Jean-de-Fos

Details

Founded: 11th century
Category:
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (3 km)


Musée Fabre (28,1 km)
Montpellier Botanical Garden (27,4 km)
Montpellier Cathedral (27,6 km)
Béziers Cathedral (49,4 km)
La Couvertoirade Village (29,8 km)
Agde Cathedral (44,3 km)
Valmagne Abbey (24,5 km)
Lodève Cathedral (19,5 km)
Maguelone Cathedral (34,1 km)

User Reviews

Kujdesi Rama (3 years ago)
Visited this place September 2018. Views from the bridge were amazing. The pond at the bottom is a very quiet place and you can enjoy a quiet day there. Free car park and always you can find space. Recommend for a family picnic.
Mariko Pond (3 years ago)
Free parking and the water is very clean. It looks like they also have the possibility to camp overnight. There is a cafe, gift shop, and bathrooms available for public use. Highly recommended!
paul gartland (3 years ago)
Brilliant place for a cooling swim and to relax. Excellent free bus into St. Guilhem for a drink and bite to eat. Love it here.
Lars Söderbaum Elm (3 years ago)
Great place to swim with a stunning view. Stony beach so bring bathing shoes. It can be hard to find parking spaces during peak periods.
Mrs Tréché (3 years ago)
Just amazing experience in nature. Delicious river water, full of tree shade, amazing for families with small kids. I will be back many times in this summer.
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The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

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The history of the castle is the subject of different legends. One of them narrates the origin of the name of castle derived from that of jester Becko for whom the Duke Stibor had the castle built.

Another legend has it that the lord of the castle had his servant thrown down from the rock because he protected his child from the lords favourite dog. Before his death, the servant pronounced a curse saying that they would meet in a year and days time, and indeed precisely after that time the lord was bitten by a snake and fell down to the same abyss.

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