Sur
le Pont d’Avignon
Every
French school child knows that the bridge at Avignon
is a special place. The
first thing they are taught is the famous song
by an anonymous composer.
By
Arnie Greenberg, ultours@aol.com
(Pictured
above, Arnie tries his hand at a balancing act with canes in Avignon, under the
watchful tutelage of a street jester. But beware, says Arnie. If you happen to
make eye contact with one of these jesters as he did, you, too, may be enlisted
to learn their craft!)
Avignon
– It’s a Famous Bridge… and a special place.
According
to the song, people gathered to dance under the bridge. But there's more reason
to visit what's left of the bridge than to dance.
A
visit here on the Rhone River at Avignon brings you to a sacred place where bargemen
worshipped their patron saint as early as 1177. They even built a tiny chapel
on the bridge for patrons to worship. That tiny chapel still exists, but most
of the bridge is gone.
Years
of flooding and the turbulent Rhone River weather took its toll. Only a few of
the arches still stand. But while nobody is dancing, scores of people visit this
unusual monument every day, for a price. Yes, modernity has caught up with worship.
Half the bridge is gone, and yet people are happy to pay so they can say they
walked on this famous bridge.
While Avignon is the only city in France
that boasts a Papal Palace, young people head for the bridge first. We know that
the construction was started by a divinely inspired young shepherd called Benezet,
hence the bridge's real name, le Pont Bezenet.
There are legends about
its beginnings. Some say the young shepherd lifted the first mighty rock and placed
it to begin the foundation. The historians think that the base of the bridge was
Roman. Remember, there were Roman garrisons in the area over a thousand years
before the young shepherd was born.
But his bridge became the first that crossed the Rhone. It was originally made
of wood and spanned the waters from the Holy Roman Empire to France. It was reconstructed
in the 13th century, and due to wars, time and flooding, it had to be repaired
continuously until the 17th century.
The four arches that now remain
are all that's left of the original twenty-two.
The Mariner's Chapel, as it
is called, was added in the 18th century. The Sun King, Louis XIV, is said to
have admired Avignon from the bridge and exclaimed; "It is the most beautiful
place in my kingdom". It might very well have been, with its impressive palace
and cathedral and imposing walls to keep invaders out.
Today, Avignon offers more than
the palace or the bridge. It is a lively city, which draws visitors from around
the world. Decent hotels, a variety of restaurants, a jazz festival, film festival,
artists, craftsmen, flower seller and shoppers rub shoulders with visitors and
proud inhabitants, who satisfy their needs by just living in this peaceful corner
of the world.
My last meal in Avignon recently was on a restaurant terrace.
Dancers, singers, musicians, jugglers, and troubadours entertained me. The city
was alive. It has the feel of a happening with its wonderful light and gaily-colored
souvenirs.
My choice of hotel was Le Mercure Cite des Papes. It's modern
and clean, and the rooftop restaurant looks down on the Palace Square. At the
door is the Place de l'Horloge (the Clock Square), the heart of the city, with
its carrousel, imposing opera house and people enjoying one of the most pleasant
places in France.
One can get to Avignon from Paris by train or plane.
I always go by car. The countryside offers vistas and landmarks that will change
your life. Trust me.
