The story of Avignon Bridge, or the Pont d’Avignon, just isn’t the one you may suppose. We’ll have a look at how the music happened and discover the legends and tales behind the fabled bridge.
Each French youngster is aware of the Avignon Bridge music, as do many youngsters world wide who don’t have anything to do with France.
However ought to they research ever French at college, that is in all probability the primary music they will study. (Or possibly the second, after Frère Jacques.)
Info about Avignon Bridge
There is not any query the bridge is known, however have you learnt every thing about it?Â
- The bridge is on the UNESCO World Heritage Record.
- An earlier bridge existed on this website, constructed by the Romans.
- The current bridge was in-built 1177.
- Avignon Bridge just isn’t its actual title! In reality, the bridge’s official title is the Pont Saint-Bénezet.
- The bridge does not span the river − solely 4 arches of the unique 22 (a full 900m/3000ft in size) stay. So sure, it is truncated, and the span you may go to is modest.
- There are two chapels part-way alongside the bridge, one constructed on prime of the opposite.
- The bridge is sort of slim, solely 4 meters (13 ft), so how did individuals dance “spherical and spherical” the bridge, because the music goes?
- The bridge has an intriguing historical past.
- And at last, the music made it well-known. With out the music, nobody would even find out about it…

Even as we speak, individuals come to Avignon to bop on the bridge.
The Avignon Bridge music
A music concerning the bridge has existed because the fifteenth century, though the model we all know as we speak is way newer.Â
Within the mid-Nineteenth century, on weekends, individuals would come to Barthelasse Island for picnics and dancing below the bridge, which might be how the phrases to the music developed.
WORDS OF THE SONG IN FRENCH
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse tous en rond.
Les belles dames font comme ça, Et puis encore comme ça.
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse tous en rond.
Les beaux messieurs font comme ça, Et puis encore comme ça.
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse tous en rond.
Les militaires font comme ça, Et puis encore comme ça.
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse tous en rond.
Les musiciens font comme ça. Et puis encore comme ça.
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon, On y danse tous en rond.
WHAT THE SONG SAYS ENGLISH
On Avignon Bridge, We dance, We dance, All of us go spherical and spherical
The attractive girls do that, after which do this.Â
(As a substitute of “do that, do this”, it may additionally imply “lean this fashion, after which that method”)
On Avignon Bridge, We dance, We dance, All of us go spherical and spherical
The good-looking gents do that, after which do this.
On Avignon Bridge, We dance, We dance, All of us go spherical and spherical
The troopers do that, after which do this.
On Avignon Bridge, We dance, We dance, All of us go spherical and spherical
The musicians do that, after which do this.
On Avignon Bridge, We dance, We dance, All of us go spherical and spherical
Historical past of the Pont d’Avignon
How outdated is the bridge?
There was a lot debate as as to if an earlier bridge was constructed by the Romans.
On the one hand, giant blocks appeared beneath the present piers when waters have been low – these blocks might have been Roman in development and their existence has been reconfirmed a number of instances. Additionally, the unique bridge was coated in wooden and no less than one carbon courting evaluation concluded the wooden was from the late Roman period.
On the detrimental aspect, no main settlement was ever constructed throughout Roman instances throughout from Avignon, hinting that there might need been no bridge. If there had been a bridge, the place would it not have led? On the time, the principle highway from east to west prevented Avignon altogether, crossing additional south the place the river was much less violent. Had there been a bridge at Avignon, absolutely it could have grow to be a principal crossing.
Irrespective of. By the point the current bridge was in-built 1177, it was thought of a marvel of engineering, its 22 arches taking eight years to finish.
The bridge’s significance
Earlier than the bridge, anybody desirous to cross the Rhône needed to row – not a straightforward voyage throughout a turbulent river. So the bridge was thought of vital: it was on the time the one hyperlink between Lyon and the ocean.
This could improve Avignon’s significance and the town would finally grow to be a significant pilgrimage cease on the route between Italy and Spain, rising from the toll revenues it collected. Its elevated wealth was in all probability an element within the choice of the French popes to relocate the headquarters of the Catholic Church right here throughout the 14th century.
In reality, on the time of the Papacy, Avignon was changing into overcrowded and soiled and lots of cardinals and senior church officers moved throughout the river to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. They wanted the bridge to get forwards and backwards to the Papal Palace.

Suffering from floods
Avignon Bridge would finally succumb to that the majority apparent of handicaps: nature.
The Rhône is thought for its pace and energy, and there are many medieval experiences of floods ripping by way of Avignon, typically even shattering its ramparts.Â
Every time the waters rose abnormally, components of the bridge risked being washed out.Â
Take September 1226. King Louis VIII of France had been laying siege to Avignon for 3 months till, lastly, Avignon surrendered and the king destroyed many of the bridge. A number of days later, the Rhône overran its banks, flooding the town. Had the Avignonais waited a number of extra days, the king’s troops might need been worn out… however these are the quirks of historical past.
The bridge was rapidly rebuilt, a cycle of destruction and reconstruction that would characterize its historical past for hundreds of years to come back. When unseasonably chilly climate struck, the ice soften would contribute to flooding, weakening piles that have been already constructed on unstagle floor.
In November 1544, heavy rains broke Avignon’s partitions, even washing away our bodies within the cemetery and forcing everybody within the neighboring countryside to journey by boat.
In 1603, an arch crumbled, and one other 4 in 1605. Repairs lastly started in 1628, solely to be interrupted by a plague. It will take till 1633 for the bridge to grow to be satisfactory once more – however no sooner did it reopen than two extra arches fell.
This forwards and backwards went on till 1668, when authorities lastly determined it was too costly to keep up and gave up rebuilding it.

The legend of Saint-Bénezet
That is France, so in fact there is a legend behind the bridge.
All of it started with the arrival in Avignon in 1177 of Bénezet, a shepherd from the Ardèche or the Vivarais (there are conflicting experiences). On the age of 12, he heard a divine calling to cease being a shepherd and “go construct a bridge at Avignon”.
So off he went.
As soon as in Avignon, he headed straight for the principle sq. (which as we speak is the location of the Papal Palace) and introduced his plans, which locals greeted with a lot mockery and laughter.
Avignon’s bishop reported this to the authorities, which then requested Bénezet to show what he was saying. Bénezet then picked up a rock “that 30 males couldn’t have moved” and, with the assistance of angels, threw it into the river like a feather. In fact this was thought of a miracle, and so the bridge’s foundations have been laid.
Once more, in response to legend, Bénezet began a charity to complete constructing the bridge and to keep up it, however he would die in 1184, simply earlier than the bridge was accomplished.
Saint Bénezet, by the best way, was not formally a saint… he is simply been generally known as one since that first rock hit the river’s waters.
The best way to {photograph} Avignon Bridge
That is tough. Whenever you go to the bridge, you are strolling ON it, however you will not be capable to see its 4 swish arches. For that you will must take a long way.
Listed below are some spots to seize that good picture:
- when you’re within the bridge space, comply with the signal for the “Chemin de Ronde” and stroll in direction of the tower − relying on the season and the leaves on the timber, you’ll see a part of the bridge
- stroll close to the bridge alongside the river in both path and switch again − you will have a fantastic view, relying on the place the solar is positioned
- the Parc des Doms gives a sweeping view of the bridge and its environment
- take the little boat throughout from the underside of the Doms staircase to Barthelasse Island, the place you will get nice pictures from the water and the island
- I used to be there in full daylight however I am advised that sundown is a perfect time for images
Additionally word that visiting the bridge just isn’t free, however the entrance charge is included within the Avignon Metropolis Go, which I discovered to be good worth.
When you solely need to {photograph} the bridge’s arches, then do not trouble paying the doorway charge to go on prime. As a substitute, have a look at it from the varied factors talked about above.
The bridge itself is a brief stroll, 4 arches’ value, with a railing on the finish. Midway throughout, you will discover two small chapels that stay from the previous, somewhat incongruous in the course of a bridge, however welcome.
The chapels are constructed one above the opposite.
The decrease chapel, or Saint-Bénézet, was constructed when the bridge was decrease and was designed to carry the relics of its namesake, Saint Bénézet. These relics can be moved throughout the Seventeenth century to the Celestine convent and a century later to Saint-Didier church, the place a part of them stay as we speak (the rest are within the Cathédrale des Doms).
Throughout one of many post-flood rebuilds, top was added to the bridge within the hopes of avoiding additional destruction. An higher chapel, Saint Nicolas, was then added and contained the relics of Saint Benezet, which have been eliminated in 1674 when, once more, the bridge was threatened.


I loved my bridge go to (regardless of the howling wind that day), particularly due to the audio-guide, which included fairly a little bit of historical past and background concerning the bridge, together with the music itself to (fairly uncommon) beats.
To see the bridge’s arches, although, you will should be off, not on it. However to bop, you may select… on prime or beneath it?
Properly – IS it probably the most well-known bridge in France?
That is as much as you! Different well-known bridges in France embody:
and there are others however to me, YES. If there’s one bridge in France most individuals can title, it is the Pont d’Avignon!
Dying to listen to the music itself? Right here we go!
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