France, one bridge a day

[ko7]

France has many many bridges. Here is a small selection of the most beautiful / famous or just the one I like. Feel free to help me.


First, the Pont Saint-Bénezet also known as the Pont d'Avignon. It is one of the most famous French bridge (at least for the French). It was built around 1170. The legend tells that Bénezet had a calling to build a bridge there.
In middle aged, it was a very important bridge as it was one of the 3 bridges between the city of Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea and the southernest one. It is difficult to build bridge over the Rhone river as the water-flow is almost constant thus making difficult to build the pier foundations (no low water period).
In the end of the 17th century, the bridge was destroyed by a flood. Today, only 4 arches remains (out of 22). Also remaining on these 4 arches is the Chapel of Saint Bénezet where he was interred.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

localisation:
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Pont d'Avignon by ayearineurope, on Flickr

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Pont d’Avignon, France by bridgink, on Flickr

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Pont d'Avignon (Pont St-Bénezet), Avignon, France by _Zinni_, on Flickr

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Sur le pont d'Avignon by claude.attard.bezzina, on Flickr

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le pont d’Avignon by Carlton Browne, on Flickr

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Pont d'Avignon from the river by stepintomythimble, on Flickr

[ko7]

The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris. I really like it because it seems really light. Actually this is due to the use of cast iron and wood. This was the first metal bridge in Paris: it was built between 1802 and 1804.

localisation:
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Photo: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Pont des Arts at the Seine by Chronovial, on Flickr

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Paris ville lumière ... by Romain sauze...come back .., on Flickr

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Pont des Arts by fhwrdh, on Flickr

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Le Pont des Arts by john-aïves-1946, on Flickr

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Pont des Arts, Paris by Ian Bramham, on Flickr

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Pont des Arts by Fotografovolante, on Flickr

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Pont des arts, Paris, Study III by funkytravel, on Flickr

[ko7]

Today, let me present a beautiful rail bridge: the Garabit viaduct. It was constructed around 1880 by the Eiffel & Cie (the society of Eiffel). It allows the railway line to span the Tuyère river without going down through the valley.
When built, it was the highest bridge in the world.

localisation:
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Viaduc du Garabit by BerColly, on Flickr

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2009_0703_Viaduc de Garabit 02 by roger-11vinassan, on Flickr

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Viaduc de Garabit et gorges de la Truyère, Ruynes-en-Margeride, Cantal by Christian Giusti, on Flickr


Jon Lanthanberg


GIRAUD Patrick

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viaduc de Garabit 2 by OliBac, on Flickr

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Viaduc du Garabit by oushebti, on Flickr


Lunon92 © Métro-Pole.net

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[Garabit] passage du train de fret by FredArt, on Flickr

[ko7]

The Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gard River. Built around the 1st century it brought water to Nîmes (a major Roman city at this time). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There is a road bridge at the first level which was added later.

You can swim in the river. If it is sunny, don't hesitate, it is really nice...

localisation:
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pont du gard by cutpie, on Flickr

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Pont Du Gard by Wolfgang Staudt, on Flickr

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Pont du Gard by ambrett, on Flickr

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Pont-du-Gard-07 by shogunangel, on Flickr

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Pont du Gard by tkgafs, on Flickr

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Pont-du-Gard-02 by shogunangel, on Flickr

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Pont-du-Gard-06 by shogunangel, on Flickr

[Gadiri]

Nice thread. Continue to post.

[ko7]

Originally Posted by Gadiri

Nice thread. Continue to post.

thanks.

By the way, I just found that there is already a thread on Pont du gard with a few more pics and some info: Pont du Gard, France

[ko7]

I should have posted it earlier. I don't think I need to present Millau's viaduct. It was designed by Norman Foster and it is the tallest bridge in the world (i.e. tallest pylon) and one of the highest bridge with a 270 meters deck height. It is a multiple-tower cable-stayed bridge.

I remember using the A75 before the bridge and getting suck in the traffic jam in Millau. During summer vacations, Millau was famous for this traffic jam: you could have easily lost 2 hours there. There was a big opposition to the bridge for many reasons but a major one was that with the bridge, nobody would stop at Millau. Actually the contrary happened: the bridge brings an enormous amount of visitors that stop to see it (instead of getting stuck in the jam and passing through Millau).

I need to find some time to go back to Millau and see this bridge for real.


localisation:
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Que n'és de gros, el viaducte de Millau / The viaduct of Millau is huge! by SBA73, on Flickr

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Copie de VIADUC DE MILLAU NORD-SUD by Imagine Aveyron, on Flickr

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Pont & brouillard - Bridge & fog by Le P'tit Nicolas, on Flickr

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Pont & brouillard - Bridge & fog by Le P'tit Nicolas, on Flickr

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Viaduc de Millau by laughtonb, on Flickr

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Viaduc de Millau by lukewarm_pepper, on Flickr

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Viaduc de Millau by Arisian, on Flickr


bonus: many bridges
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Millau Bridges by Rigor Mortisque, on Flickr


Thread on millau viaduct: << The Tallest Bridge in the World : Millau Viaduct, France >>

[ko7]

The Oyapock River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge. As it name state it spans the river Oyapock between France and Brasil. It is one of the last great bridge built in France as it was finished in 2011 (however it will only open in 2013).
There was some problems with it inauguration as former french president Sarkozy wanted to do it before leaving however no brasilian official wanted to come. The unfinished road on the brazilian side is an explanation for this cancelation. If everything work fine, the road will be finished next year and the bridge will open.


localisation:
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Saint-George to Oyapock brigde - Oyapock - Brazil by Tubercule, on Flickr

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Pont sur l'Oyapock by docprevost, on Flickr

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Pont_Oyapock_50 by Ronan Liétar / IMAZONE, on Flickr

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2012 - 023 - Oyapock River Bridge by cookinghamus, on Flickr

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Pont_Oyapock_45 by Ronan Liétar / IMAZONE, on Flickr

[ko7]

This is not really a famous bridge but it is one I really like. It was built in 1882 to give better access to Fouillouse (note that the road was only open 6 years after the bridge).
It is only 27m long but 108 meters hight.


localisation:
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1907 RD25 Pont du Chatelet by geoterranaute, on Flickr


MOSSOT


Didier Beuzen

[ko7]

Instead of picking one bridge each day in the whole country, I will proceed region by region. This week, the bridges will be from Ile-de-France.
By the way, I will reduce the number of pics by post (not by bridge), otherwise it will take to much time to load.


The Alexandre III bridge was built in 1900 for the universal exhibition. It connects the invalide with the Champs-Élysées via the petit palais (small palace) and grand palais (large palace).
Numerous sculptures, great looking lamps,... it is one of the most beautifull bridge of Paris.


localisation:
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Paris Exposition: Pont Alexandre III, Paris, France, 1900 by Brooklyn Museum, on Flickr

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Tribord by shamalowbleu, on Flickr

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Bâbord by shamalowbleu, on Flickr

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Alexander III bridge by night by loic80l, on Flickr

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Alexander III bridge on a cloudy sky by loic80l, on Flickr


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Pont Alexandre III mit Palais Royal im Hintergrund by a.renate, on Flickr

[ko7]

more on Alexandre 3 bridge

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Pont Alexandre 3 by Marel Jérôme, on Flickr

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Détail du Pont Pont Alexandre III 1 by shamalowbleu, on Flickr


khardan


Nono vlf

[ko7]

Built for the train line between Paris and Versailles, the Meudon viaduct is the oldest train viaduct in France. At first it was double tracks but it is now 4 tracks.
I liked this bridge because you have a really beautiful views of Paris from it.


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planche gravée par E. Wormser


Ronan 54 countries

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DSCN1153-2 by Interzone00, on Flickr

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DSCN1155r2 by Interzone00, on Flickr

[ko7]

The pont neuf (new bridge) is the oldest bridge of Paris: it was constructed in the late of the 16th century. This is the first bridge of Paris that cross completely the seine river and it is also the first one to be built without any house on it.
They use the building of the pont neuf to connect some islets at the end of the île de la cité and to build the place Dauphine. See the old map below. The building on piers that you see on the second arch is a water pump.


localisation:
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Pont Neuf by Marcio Cabral de Moura, on Flickr

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Pont Neuf by Quang Huy PFIEV, on Flickr


Atelier Robert Doisneau

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Sous le pont Neuf by Katerina Snigirevskaya, on Flickr

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Pont Neuf - Paris by Ann McLeod Images, on Flickr

[ko7]

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Pont Neuf on the Seine by sharkespeare1969, on Flickr

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pont neuf by [toffa], on Flickr

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Pont Neuf de l'autre côté by Quang Huy PFIEV, on Flickr


Bonus: the equestrian status of Henri IV (who built the bridge and the place dauphine behind). This status is located in the middle of the bridge


Daderot

[shutterbug483]

Since when is there a bridge between France & Brazil? The last time I checked, there's an ocean between the two countries.

[Suspensionstayed]

Originally Posted by shutterbug483

Since when is there a bridge between France & Brazil? The last time I checked, there's an ocean between the two countries.

That portion of France is on the South America continent and is called French Guiana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Guiana

[ko7]

Today, a very interesting aqueduct bridge(s). From the roman period, there always was a problem of how to bring water to the left bank of the seine river.
The roman built an aqueduct from Rungis to the Thermae in Paris. However, it needed to cross the valley of the Bievre. Thus the first bridge in Arcueil. Due to people moving from the left bank to the île de la Cité after the barbaric invasions, this aqueduct stopped functioning.
In the beginning of the 17th century, Marie de Medicis wanted to build a palace on the left bank (the Luxembourg Palace) and thus built a new aqueduct. The road used by this new one was almost the same as the old one. In particular in Arcueil, the bridge is at the exact same place as the Roman bridge. In particular you can see some remaining roman arches...
At the end of the 19th century, a new aqueduct was needed. Much longer, it still needed to cross the Bievre valley. This was done by building a bridge over the Medicis bridge.
Today, the last 2 aqueducts are still in use. The Medicis one, only for non potable water due to the urbanisation of the south of Paris that have polluted the water. The RER B which runs parallel to the Bievre valley goes under one arch of the new aqueduct bridge. When I was young, I didn't understand how they managed to put the railway tracks exactly under one arch. Of course it was the other way around but I learned that much later. I'm sure that many people still believe that the present aqueduct is roman.

Note that there is a 4th aqueduct in Cachan (a city just south of Arcueil) but this one cross the Bievre valley using an inverted siphon.


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Aqueducs d'Arcueil et de Cachan by koutaotani, on Flickr

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Aqueduc de la Vanne, Arcueil et Cachan, France. by Only Tradition, on Flickr

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Cachan by besopha, on Flickr

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Aqueduc Arcueil Inauguration (493) by Comment vous dire ?, on Flickr

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Aqueducs by besopha, on Flickr


How to look in the Medicis aqueduct. The Medicis bridge begins a bit to the left, you cannot see it on the photo.
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Regard n°14 by Groume, on Flickr

[ko7]

The austerlitz viaduct is a metro bridge on line 5 that cross the seine river near austerlitz station. They built a steel arch bridge because of the traffic on this part of the Seine river: building pier (other than temporary) was forbidden.
The steel arch bridge is interesting in its all right but what I find most interesting is the approach on both sides. On the right bank, the line turn 90° and down (slope of 4%) to go to the station Quai de la rapée. The ramp is helicoid which is quite rare for this time (it is not straight section put together but a real helicoid).
On the left bank, the line go through the Austerlitz train station. When I was a child, and still now, I really like the view of metro crossing this bridge to enter the station...


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VIADUC D'AUSTERLITZ - L5 - 146 - reduced by sammysam1, on Flickr


Mbzt

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by patrizio29, on Flickr

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz | Paris 13 by &quot;André M.&quot;, on Flickr

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by Ghjattu, on Flickr

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by B.MEHEUST Photographie, on Flickr

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by patrizio29, on Flickr

[ko7]

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by Frmus : My Proper Photographic's Feelings, on Flickr


Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux

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Paris - Viaduc d'Austerlitz by narceau.zemm, on Flickr

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Viaduc d'Austerlitz by Phil Beard, on Flickr

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Paris - métro ligne 5 - Viaduc d'Austerlitz by LimitedExpress, on Flickr

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Space Mountain by Groume, on Flickr

[shutterbug483]

Originally Posted by Suspensionstayed

That portion of France is on the South America continent and is called French Guiana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Guiana

Thanks for the clarification. However, it was worded as being between France and Brazil, not French Guyana and Brazil.