The Pont Julien of Bonnieux in Luberon

The Pont Julien Bonnieux is an original Roman bridge built over the Calavon river. It seems to date from some years ago, between 3 and twenty, BC, different age according to sources and experts say that leaves us with a margin of error. Not only it is old, but its shape and structure have enabled it to withstand time and weather.

This historical monument (list since 1914) is located north of the town of Bonnieux, near the roundabout that met the provincial road 108 and county road 149 which comes from the hilltop village of Bonnieux. It was built to serve the Roman road called "Domitian" or "via Domitia". It is 80 meters long in its entirety for a span of 46 meters and 60 centimeters, an average width of 6 meters and a height at its peak of about 11 meters 50.

Although it was being used up until recently by various routes passing by to cross the Calavon, in 2005 it was forbidden to motor vehicles which were able to coss over through the construction of another bridge upstream from the river and close by to observe the work.

Note also that a very long bike path (called "Calavon bicycle path") and the GR 653 D, one of the routes for the pilgrimage to Saint Jacques de Compostela, passes over this bridge.

Le Pont Julien has three arches, the central one being higher. It is made of stone of the Luberon in the footsteps of an even older bridge of which there are some traces around the stacks of this Julien Bridge. The bridge experienced shorter or longer repair periods as in 1789 when it took almost a year of work before the bridge was opened to traffic again.