If you drove to the south of France in the 1990s, you probably spent hours stuck in traffic in the centre of Millau. After years of discussion, a new route was proposed that bypassed the town and would require the construction of the new 'Millau Viaduc.'
Enter Sir Norman Foster & Dr Michel Virlogeux, the architect & structural engineer tasked with designing & constructing what would become the tallest bridge in the world. In 2017 the bridge carried over 5 million vehicles for the first time since it opened in 2004.
Construction started: 16 October 2001
Opened: 16 December 2004
Material: Concrete, steel
Location: Millau, Aveyron
Length :2460m
Height: 343m
Worth knowing: There is a service area at the northern end of the bridge with a visitor centre.
Also known as Pont Saint-Bénézet, the Pont d'Avignon is one of the most photographed bridges in France.
Originally spanning the Rhone, the current bridge fell into disrepair during the 17th century, with only 4 of the original 22 arches remaining in place today.
The bridge features the Chapel of St Nicholas, where the body of St Bénézet was originally interred and was made famous in the 15th century in the song 'Sur le Pont d'Avignon'
Constructed: 1234
Closed: Approx. 1644
Material: Stone
Location: Avignon, Provence
Original Length: 900m
Current Length: 120m
Height: 25m
Worth knowing: Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the bridge attracts over 300,000 visitors per year.
Instantly recognisable as the work of Gustave Eiffel, the Garabit Viaduct crosses the River Truyère on the rail route between Marvejols and Neussargues.
At the time of construction, it was the world's highest bridge at 124 meters.
Unusually there was no tender process for the construction, with the project going straight to Eiffel based on his work on the similar Maria Pia Bridge in Porto.
Constructed: 1882 to 1884
Opened: 1885
Material: Wrought iron
Location: Ruynes-en-Margeride, Cantal
Length: 565m
Height: 124m
Worth knowing: The bridge featured in the 1976 film 'The Cassandra Crossing.'
With views across the Auvergne countryside, this pleasant site on the edge of a small traditional French village is a comfortable and convenient break in...
Still in the top 20 tallest railway bridges in the world, at the time of construction, the Fades Viaduct was the world's tallest in every category.
Built to complete the Tulle-Clermont and Montluçon-Gannat railway, until its recent closure, trains ran across the Sioule River on a steel truss platform on top of quarried granite piers.
Ideally situated within walking distance of the floral spa town of Châtelguyon, this site is in the interesting and picturesque region of the Auvergne and...
Allowing the Canal latéral à la Loire to cross the Loire river, the Pont-canal de Briare only lost its title of the world's longest aqueduct when the Magdeburg Water Bridge opened in 2003.
Gustave Eiffel had a hand in the construction, producing the fourteen masonry piers. In exceptionally cold weather, the 2.2-meter-deep trough can be drained into the Loire below to prevent damage.
Constructed: 1890 to 1896
Opened: 16 September 1896
Material: Masonry piers, steel trough
Location: Briare, Loiret
Length: 662m
Width: 6m
Worth knowing: The steel channel contains more than 13,000 tonnes of water
This attractive, high quality site, ideal for families with young children, is in a rural setting and well situated for exploring the less well known...
We couldn't create a list of our favourite bridges in France without including at least one in Paris. The 2 spans of Le Pont Neuf (one on each side of the Île de la Cité) are the oldest to cross the Seine in Paris.
The name literally means the 'new bridge', which it was at the time of construction; it has remained whilst all the older bridges have been replaced.
Constructed: 1578 to 1607
Opened: 1607
Material: Stone
Location: Paris
Length: 232m
Height: 22m
Worth knowing: In 1985, modern artist 'Christo' wrapped the bridge in more than 40,000m2 of fabric.
Occupying a grassy, tree-covered area on the banks of the Seine, Camping Sandaya Paris Maisons-Laffitte is a popular and well-maintained site. The reception staff are...
Huttopia sites are rather different; when the French owners visited Canada and experienced ‘back to nature’ camping, they were so impressed that they decided to...
Spanning the Hérault River, the Gignac bridge was designated a national monument in 1950.
Described as the 'the most beautiful bridge of the 18th century, traffic over the bridge has been much reduced since the opening of the new Languedoc Bridge on the A750, a couple of hundred meters downstream.
Construction of the bridge was delayed due to the French Revolution before completion in 1810.
Constructed: 1776 to 1810
Opened: 1810
Material: Dressed limestone
Location: Gignac, Hérault
Length: 175m
Height: 20m
Worth knowing: The Michelin Green Guide describes it as "The finest 18C bridge in France because of its daring design and the beauty of its architectural lines"
The 14th-century Pont Valentré took 70 years to construct. Legend has it that construction took so long the foreman signed a pact with the devil to complete the job.
Designed to be its own fortress, the 3 defensive towers never actually saw combat. A likeness of the bridge has been adopted by the town of Cahors as the city emblem.
The nearby pumping station houses a museum detailing the history of the bridge.
Constructed: 1308 to 1378
Opened: 1350
Material: Stone
Location: Cahors, Lot
Length: 138m
Height: 40m (Tower height)
Worth knowing: Restoration was performed between 1867 and 1879 by the architect and head of the historic monuments of France, Paul Gout.
The 3rd most visited attraction in France (after the Eiffel Tower & Mont St Michel), this Roman aqueduct consists of 3 tiers crossing the Gardon River. Originally built to carry water along the 50km long Nîmes aqueduct.
Until UNESCO listed the bridge as a world heritage site in 1985, you could still drive across the lower tier.
Rob has been involved in the leisure industry since completing a BTEC in Travel & Tourism in 1993. Previous roles have included the promotion of tourism in Yorkshire and running a motorcycle touring company in the Australian Outback.
He is the General Manager at Alan Rogers Travel Group, responsible for the ongoing development of the Alan Rogers website and the publication of the Alan Rogers Guides and 'Destinations' magazine.
He regularly travels with his wife and young daughter in their Dethleffs 'Campy' caravan. A keen cycling fan, Rob can often be found in a field in Belgium during the 'Spring Classics' season or riding his Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
During Napoleon lll's rule in the mid to late 1800s, France colonised several overseas territories, and with Britain restoring ownership of some territories to France, Napoleon doubled the size of his empire.
There are some impressive places on the list in France, as you can well imagine, such as Chatres Cathedral, the Palace of Versailles and the fortified city of Carcassone. So why not plan your next trip across the Channel to visit some of these sites, they’ve been given this status for a reason, so you know you’re in for a treat!
