Pont-Saint-Martin: The Roman Bridge That Two Thousand Years Have Not Scratched

Pont-Saint-Martin is the first town you encounter entering the Aosta Valley from the motorway. Almost everyone slows down to take the exit, but few actually stop. Yet at the center of the town stands a Roman arched bridge dating to the first century BC, perfectly preserved and still crossable on foot — one of the best-preserved Roman bridges in the western Alps. It stretches 57 meters in length, stands 23 meters above the bed of the Lys torrent, with a single span of 31 meters.

The History and Legend of the Bridge

The bridge was built by the Romans during the Alpine conquest campaigns, probably around 25 BC, concurrent with the founding of Augusta Praetoria (modern-day Aosta). According to local legend, the devil offered to build the bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross it: the priest who blessed the work sent a cat across, outsmarting the devil. The legend is depicted in several local churches.

The Village and the Collegiata of San Lorenzo

The old town of Pont-Saint-Martin preserves some medieval houses and the Collegiata of San Lorenzo, with a Romanesque bell tower and a twelfth-century baptismal font. The Thursday weekly market brings life to the town squares with local products — cured meats, cheeses, vegetables — at market prices, not gourmet boutique prices. Its position at the border between Piedmont and the Aosta Valley has left traces in the local cuisine: Piedmontese bagnetto verde coexists with Valdostan fonduta.

How to Work It Into an Itinerary

Pont-Saint-Martin works well as a first stop on an Aosta Valley itinerary heading west through the region. The bridge visit takes twenty minutes; adding the village and the collegiata, you won't exceed an hour. Combined with Fort Bard (15 km north) and Issogne Castle (20 km north), it forms a triangle of medieval and Roman history in the lower Aosta Valley almost entirely free of mass tourism. Visitable year-round, free of charge.