Inscriptions of France (Vaucluse)

The Bridge of Vaison-la-Romaine

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The Roman bridge of Vaison-la-Romaine is situated about 16 m above the normal water level of the Ouvèze river. But nevertheless...

Hillside inscription

If required, click on the photos to see them larger.

The Roman bridge

Arrival

Internet

Town-side inscription

Photos: Hans-Rudolf Hower, 2002.

Hillside Inscription

Original Text (in French)

Le 22 septembre 1992.
L’Ouvèze en crue a fait de nombreuses
victimes et d’importants dégâts.

Souvenons-nous.

Translation

On the 22nd of september, 1992,
the rising Ouvèze made numerous
victims and important damages.

Let us remember.

Comment

The site of the Roman bridge forms a natural bottleneck which makes water rise very fast and very high - with unavoidable floods upstream and downstream. In 1992, the Ouvèze succeeded in rising higher than the stone guardrails of the bridge and in breaking them. Man should take care of these natural phenomena, but often does not. In Vaison this carelessness of man killed numerous persons, essentially among the guests of a campsite that suddenly was under several meters of raging water. We can only hope that the remembrance the hillside inscription speaks of will not remain purely sentimental, but practical : for the revision - and respect! - of town-planning and development plans...

Town-Side Inscription

Original Text (in Latin)

PONS ROMANVS
ANNO MCMLXXXXIIII
PVBLICE RESTITVTVS EST

Translation

The Roman bridge
was restored publicly
in the year of 1994.

Comment

I guess that "publicly" means "on public order and at public expense" and I would like to add: at tax-payers’ expense.

How the other damages were paid? What family tragedies were caused by the disaster? How responsibilities were taken into account? What practical conclusions were drawn from the flood? If you know something about these questions, please tell us! Thank you very much!

Internet

Address / Owner

Subjects / Content

Vaison-la-Romaine

by: Municipality of Vaison-la-Romaine

Official site

Holidays in Vaison-la-Romaine? Excellent idea! But where to stay?

Whether you are looking for a room, an apartment, a hotel, a guest house, or any other accommodation,
with board or without it, you can find it on

BOOKING.COM.

Arrival by Public Transport

You can take a train (TGV or other) until Montélimar or Orange and continue by bus.

Indications concerning public transport correspond to our personal knowledge or even experience, but we cannot assume any responsibility for their rightness. When you are reading this page, things may have changed in reality.

Hans-Rudolf Hower, 2003

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Last updated: April 12, 2016