The Pont du Diable on the Hérault River is one of many bridges in France with this name (it means Devil's bridge). It is located over a steep-sided gorge, about 4 km north-west of Aniane in the Hérault département. 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.
Categories & Keywords
Category:Travel and Places
Subcategory:Europe
Subcategory Detail:France
Keywords:Aniane, Camino, Camino de Santiago, France, Frankrijk, Herault, Pont du Diable, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Via Tolosana, Voie d'Arles, World heritage