Road Cycling Highlight
Recommended by 148 out of 153 road cyclists
This magnificent bridge allows you to admire: the entrance to the Hérault gorges; the Devil's Bridge, a medieval structure with two main arches (plus two secondary ones) which spans the Hérault at the level of the Gouffre Noir since the 11th century; the Saint-Jean-de-Fos bridge, which does not have the aura of the Devil's Bridge but which is still found in many photos and remains a very pretty bridge with a single arch; and an aqueduct in the background.
June 24, 2024
The Devil's Bridge was built in 873, making it one of the oldest medieval bridges in France. It is the result of an agreement between the two abbeys, located on either side of the Hérault, that of Aniane and that of Gellone in St-Guilhem. It thus makes the transition between the wine-growing plains of Languedoc and the steep gorges of Hérault.
50 meters long, it includes two main arches and two openings allowing the flow of water in the event of violent flooding.
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1935, it is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
It owes its name to a local legend:
Every night, the Devil reduced to nothing the work carried out by the two abbeys of Aniane and Gellone, with a view to the construction of the bridge over the Hérault.
Guilhem was led to make a pact with the Devil. He promised him the soul of the first creature to cross the bridge if he helped build an indestructible structure here. The Devil accepted, and once the bridge was built, they sent him as a reward a poor dog to whose tail a saucepan had been tied.
Mad with rage, the Devil tried to destroy the bridge... in vain, of course! Out of spite, he threw himself into the river, in a place called "the Black Abyss".
Since then, the pilgrims of Compostela who take the Devil's Bridge arm themselves with stones and throw them into the river to ensure that the devil no longer emerges from the "Black Abyss".
April 14, 2023
nice bridge and saint jean de for a very nice place but to get a good view of the bridge you would have to exit to the river
July 31, 2022
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