The Legend of Saint Bénezet
"Benezet, take your rod and go down to Avignon, the capital's waterfront: the people you speak and you tell them that we must build a bridge ".
A young shepherd named Benezet, in 1177 down from the mountains of the Ardeche. He told himself sent by God to build a bridge at Avignon. At first they took him for a fool, but he heard a voice from heaven says to her: "Benezet, take your rod and go down to Avignon, the capital's waterfront: the people you speak and you tell them that we must build a bridge ".
Ridiculed by the people of Avignon, the shepherd is challenged by the prelate to load a huge stone on his shoulder and into the Rhone. Benezet not hesitate a moment, and under the eyes of the amazed crowd, lifts the block of stone before throwing it in water, said it helped since by divine intervention, and even angels bathed in a golden light.
This beautiful legend of Saint Benezet is spent in the popular enthusiasm, because the bridge was a challenge to the elements.
The Pont St-Benezet is the oldest structure built on the Rhone River between Lyon and the sea in the twelfth century.
