Bridges: the finest sites in France
13 sites listed in this category. Remarkable engineering works, fortified medieval bridges and feats of modern engineering: these bridges span gorges and rivers while leaving a lasting mark on the landscape and on the history of technology.
Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard was built shortly before the Christian era to let the Nîmes aqueduct, nearly 50 km long, cross the Gardon.
Le Pont Ambroix ou Pont d'Ambrussum
The Pont Ambroix, or Pont d'Ambrussum, is a Roman bridge built in the first century over the Vidourle river at Ambrussum. A few metres away is an ancient Gaulish oppidum on the Via Domitia.
Le Pont Vieux d'Orthez
The Old Bridge, a dream jewel in its setting of rocks and running water, with its tower and unequal arches, was born in the 13th and 14th centuries; it was begun by Gaston VII of Moncade when he made Orthez the capital of Béarn and moved his court there.
Le Pont d'Asfeld
Between Fort des Têtes and the upper town, boldly spanning, in a single arch, the Durance gorges over a sheer drop of 55 m, stands the elegant silhouette of the Pont d'Asfeld.
Le Pont du Diable (Ariège)
This thirteenth-century structure belonging to the commune of Montoulieu lies between Foix and Mirepoix. It is a fortified two-arch bridge, built to span the Ariège that separates the villages of Ginabat and Montoulieu.
Le Pont du Diable à Olargues
The Devil's Bridge of Olargues over the Jaur is a Romanesque construction in the Hérault département. The Devil's Bridge lies below Olargues; it was built in the twelfth century.
Le Pont du Diable à Valentré
The Valentré bridge is the emblematic monument of Cahors; it was built from 1308 on the initiative of the town's consuls.
Le Viaduc de Garabit
A majestic iron structure, the Garabit viaduct has linked the two banks of the Truyère for more than 120 years and arouses the admiration of holidaymakers who discover it on the roads that criss-cross these gorges with varied tourist attractions.
Le Viaduc de Millau
A world record for height, peaking at 343 metres (taller than the Eiffel Tower), 2,460 metres long, the Viaduct brushes the Tarn valley at only 9 points.
Pont Génois de Pianella ou Ponte Vechju
The construction of this bridge, called Ponte Vechju or Pianella Bridge, was decided in 1715 by the communities of Evisa and Ota, who were its builders.
Pont du Diable (Saint-Jean-de-Fos)
At the end of the Hérault gorges, between Saint-Jean-de-Fos and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, the Devil's Bridge, with more than 1,000 years of history, is said to be the oldest medieval bridge in France.
Pont du Diable à Céret
The Devil's Bridge, or Old Bridge of Céret, is a single-arch stone bridge dating from the fourteenth century.
