Le vieux pont suspendu
MonumentHidden Treasure
Le vieux pont suspendu, located in Bono (Département 56), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Bono, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6409, -2.9536
- Mérimée Reference
- PA56000011
Suspended over Le Bono since 1869, this bridge with its braided aerial cables embodies the boldness of 19th-century Breton engineering, offering a breathtaking panorama of the ria and its fishing boats.
History
Clinging like a steel wire between the two banks of the Bono, this suspension bridge is one of the rare intact examples of Breton metal engineering from the second half of the 19th century. Its load-bearing cables, stretched with the precision of a watchmaker over the ria, form an aerial silhouette that looks like something out of a romantic painting - all the more striking at sunrise, when the morning mist envelops the nearby Gulf of Morbihan. What sets this bridge apart from its contemporaries is its continuous cable system running under the roadway in an underground mooring gallery, a rare and ingenious technical solution that ensures the solidity of the whole without sacrificing the elegance of the structure. The attentive traveller will notice the quality of the assembly of the pylons and the apparent lightness of the deck, suspended in the air as if by miracle above the dark, calm waters of the Bono. A visit to the bridge is a natural way to explore the village of Bono, a charming oyster-farming port nestling in a meander of the Gulf of Morbihan. Crossing the bridge slowly, visitors enjoy an exceptional view of moored boats, fishermen's houses with granite facades and the wooded hills that frame the river. The gentle rocking of the structure underfoot adds a unique sensation, combining thrill and wonder. Listed as a Historic Monument in 1997, Le Bono's old suspension bridge is now a powerful symbol of the town's heritage and of Brittany as a whole. It is a reminder that engineering can rival the works of the most famous architects in terms of beauty and poetry, and that technology, when put to good use, can produce unforgettable landscapes.
Architecture
The old suspension bridge at Le Bono belongs to the great family of suspension bridges using suspension cables, which enjoyed a golden age in France in the 19th century. Rebuilt in 1869 by the Forget company, its structure is typical of the period: two metal pylons frame the deck and support the overhead cables, stretched in a parabolic curve over the waters of the Bono. The suspended carriageway, which is relatively narrow, is supported by a network of vertical hangers connecting the cables to the deck. The most remarkable technical feature of this structure is its continuous cable system, which is not anchored in conventional anchor blocks at the end of the bridge, but plunges under the carriageway to pass through an underground mooring gallery. This system, which is more discreet but also more sophisticated than the usual solutions, distributes the tension forces more evenly and guarantees the stability of the whole structure in the face of load variations and the often harsh Breton weather conditions. The materials used - forged metal for the pylons and cables, wood and metal for the deck - bear witness to the expertise of builders in the second half of the 19th century, who were able to combine robustness with visual lightness. The bridge blends gracefully into the landscape of the ria, its taut, airy lines contrasting with the green banks and calm waters of the Bono, creating an almost picturesque image that a Romantic engraver of the time would not have denied.
Related Figures
Pierre de Montigny, chevalier, seigneur de Kerisper — acquéreur du passage d'eau en 1669Laurent — ingénieur des Ponts et Chaussées, auteur des plans du premier pont (1835)L'entreprise Le Pontois — constructeur du premier pont suspendu (1840)L'entreprise Forget — constructeur du pont actuel reconstruit en 1869Abbaye de Saint-Gildas de Rhuys — gestionnaire historique du passage d'eau jusqu'en 1669
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Le vieux pont suspendu located?
Le vieux pont suspendu is located in Bono, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Le vieux pont suspendu built?
Le vieux pont suspendu dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Le vieux pont suspendu open to visitors?
Le vieux pont suspendu is currently closed to visitors.
