Pont-Saint-Esprit (Occitan Lo Pònt Sant Esperit) is a commune of southern France, in the Gard département and has a population (1999) of 9,265 (Spiripontains). The commune is situated on the Rhône River and is the site of a historical crossing, hence its name.
This is where the Rhône enters Provence. Situated on the river's right bank, this Provençal town was long considered a simple thoroughfare, at the crossing of 4 departments and 3 regions. Its majestic silhouette rises above the banks of the tempestuous river, which was passionately loved by famous poets and wanderers. Close to the natural water reserve of the Gorges de l'Ardèche, the Cèze River Valley, and the Pont du Gard, Pont Saint Esprit is certainly worth the visit.
This is a place for relaxation, leisure, sports and cultural activities. Gourmets will enjoy the Provençal cuisine and, of course, the famous Côtes du Rhône wines.
Lat. Rhodanus, river, 505 mi (813 km) long, rising in the Rhône glacier, NE Valais, Switzerland. It flows west through a narrow, flat valley that separates the Bernese Alps from the Pennine Alps and enters Lake Geneva near Montreux. Leaving the lake at Geneva, it enters E France and is joined by the Saône River at Lyons.
Now navigable, it flows South past Valence and Avignon and separates the Massif Central from the French Alps. At Arles, at the head of the Rhône delta, the river separates into the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône, which join the Mediterranean Sea W of Marseilles and enclose the island of Camargue. Both branches are silted, and a canal has been built connecting the Rhône with the port of Marseilles. With its impetuous Alpine tributaries (Isère, Drôme, Durance, and others), the Rhône has the largest water flow of all French rivers.
Almost the entire Rhône valley south of Lyons is covered with excellent vineyards and fruit and vegetable gardens; in the extreme south silkworms are cultivated for the Lyons textile factories, and olives and flowers are important products. The Compagnie National du Rhône sought to develop the Rhône for power production, irrigation and improved navigation; since the late 1970s the area south of Lyons has become navigable for barges of 3,000 to 5,000 tons. The Rhône-Saône valley is a principal north-south communications route in France.
An extensive canal system links the Rhône with other river systems. A series of canals linking the Saône (the principal tributary of the Rhône north of Lyons) to the Rhine allows large barges to traverse Europe from the North Sea all the way to the Mediterranean. The Rhône valley is the cradle of Provençal culture.
