roman bridge in Bédarrides

The Roman Bridge in Bédarrides spans the Ouvèze river right in the heart of this small town in the Vaucluse department, on the edge of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine country. Despite its name, the structure standing today is not ancient — it's the product of several centuries of rebuilding forced by the river's repeated flooding.

Why is it called the "Roman Bridge" if it isn't actually Roman?

A genuine Roman-era bridge once stood on this exact spot, and it's this original crossing that gave the site its enduring name, "Pont Romain," still used today. That antique bridge didn't survive, though — a violent flood on the Ouvèze in the 17th century swept it away. A single-arch wooden bridge went up afterward, but it too proved no match for the river: another flood, in August 1622, destroyed it as well. A cable ferry filled the gap for a while, but it wasn't equal to the volume of traffic crossing at this point.

What does the bridge look like today?

The structure visitors see now was built between 1640 and 1647. It's a stone bridge carried on three round arches, each accented with a decorative archivolt. The piers are reinforced with buttresses, and at their base, the builders reused cut stones salvaged from the ruined Roman bridge — a way, whether intentional or not, of keeping a piece of the ancient structure alive within the new one. In 1713, a stone cross brought from Pernes was installed on the bridge, likely to mark a religious mission that had passed through the area around that time.

What should you know before visiting?

The bridge sits right in the center of Bédarrides, close to where the Sorgue river meets the Ouvèze, so it's easy to pair a walk through the old town with a look at the crossing itself. It's listed as a French historic monument, and it still does its original job — carrying traffic over the river — rather than existing purely as a museum piece. That working status gives a visit a certain authenticity: this is a living piece of the town's infrastructure, not a roped-off attraction.

Bédarrides lies on the road between Avignon and Orange, right in the middle of Côtes du Rhône wine country and next door to the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. A stop at the bridge pairs naturally with a swing through the surrounding vineyards and a tasting or two — a fitting way to round out a visit to this corner of the Vaucluse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Roman Bridge in Bédarrides actually from Roman times? Not in its current form. The original Roman-era bridge on this site was destroyed by a flood in the 17th century. What stands today was built between 1640 and 1647, though stones from the original Roman structure were reused in its piers.

How many arches does the bridge have? Three round arches, each set off by a decorative archivolt, supported by buttressed piers.

What's the story behind the stone cross on the bridge? It's a cross brought from Pernes in 1713, likely placed to commemorate a religious mission that had recently taken place in the region.

Can you visit the bridge on foot, and is it open to the public? Yes — the bridge sits in the center of Bédarrides and can be freely viewed while walking through town, with no ticket or booking required.