Works of art to see France

The foundation stone of the Normandy Bridge was laid in March 1988 and the structure was inaugurated on 22 January 1995. Its two pylons overlook the Seine at 204 m. Their foundations are supported by 28 piles for each pylon, these piles can measure 54 m. The access viaduct, on both banks, consists of concrete segments. The central deck consists of 96 and 116 m concrete decks and in the centre of a 624 m long metal deck with 32 segments. The central span of the bridge is therefore 856 m, the largest cable-stayed bridge in the world when it is commissioned. The guy wires consist of 184 cables. The mouth of the Seine being frequently hit by winds of 180 km/h, the Normandy bridge was built to withstand winds of 300 km/h. The visit is very easy to do without a guide, starting from the Engineers' Garden, at the foot of the bridge.

It was commissioned on 18 October 1975, after three years of construction, and is one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in Europe. The cable-stayed metal structure is 720 m long; the total length of all the structures is 3,356 m, making the Saint-Nazaire bridge the longest bridge in France. It spans the Loire estuary, rises to 61 m and covers a distance of 3,356 m between Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brévin. At the time of its construction, it was the longest bridge built in France and also held the world record for a cable-stayed bridge. The bridge replaces the old ferries that used to cross the Loire. Remains of the pier can still be seen on both sides of the river. Access has been free since 1994. The speed limit is 70 km/h. Some or all vehicles may be prohibited from driving in strong winds. The General Council has set up a bridge lane management system, which makes it possible, depending on specific events, to dedicate a second lane to the most heavily used traffic direction. Unique in France, this system went into service on August 25, 2010. The second edition of the race Les Foulées du Pont took place on September 30, 2018. There were already nearly 1,800 runners the first time.

Built on the Lecourbe by François II (th century) to connect the neighbourhoods of La Trinité and Notre-Dame. Its massive construction offers the particularity of presenting five finger and six waterways of unequal dimensions, which allow it to withstand the strength of the current and divert the trunks of trees adrift.