Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: medieval bridge

In the background the medieval bridge, crossing the river Sorgue in Saint-Affrique. On the left the massive neogothic church, constructed in the end of the 19th century, on a place, where a church has been since the early time, over the tomb of Saint Affrique. Nearly nothing is known about him. The very large camel, standing right in the river, surprised me. The camel was real. It moved from time to time and drank water from the river. I tried pretty hard, but I found no connection between this wonderful animal, known from the north-african deserts - and Saint-Affrique. Later that evening I met the owner of the camel. It actually belonged to a small circus.

Saint-Affrique is a little town in the neighbourhood of the very small village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, world famous for it´s Roquefort cheese, made from ewe´s milk. Through St. Affrique runs the river Sorgue, crossed here by five (!) bridges. The oldest, seen here, was constructed around 1270. In the background the neogothic from the late 19th century church with it´s towering steeple (81m).

A legend tells, that in the 6th century a monk named Generosus (now "Saint-Généroux"), chose to retire here to a hermit life. He died in 521, when already a small community existed. His relics were venerated inside a church, that later was the center of a priory, making it to a stopover for the pilgrims heading to Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes. Bridges like this one, crossing the river Thouet, were often erected for the pilgrims and (of course) merchants. The medieval bridge in Saint-Généroux is about 120 meters long - and runs parallel to the modern bridge.

... a modern bridge - some 500 years ago...