Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin)
MonumentHidden Treasure
Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin), located in Saint-Brieuc (Département 22), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Saint-Brieuc, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00125341
A pioneer of reinforced concrete in France, the Souzain viaduct (1904) designed by Harel de la Noë was one of Brittany's first works of art in reinforced concrete, before it was demolished in 1995.
History
The Souzain viaduct, built in 1904 between the towns of Saint-Brieuc and Plérin in the Côtes-d'Armor region, was one of the milestones of modern engineering in France. Spanning the deep valley that separates these two Breton towns, the structure was an exceptional witness to the technical revolution in bridge building at the turn of the twentieth century, when reinforced concrete began to replace traditional masonry and cast iron. What made this viaduct truly unique was the boldness of its design at a time when reinforced concrete was still experimental in the field of engineering structures. Louis Harel de la Noë, the visionary engineer appointed to head the Ponts et Chaussées des Côtes-du-Nord department in 1900, made it one of his first emblematic projects, bringing to this Breton department a technical modernity that was making its mark in the major towns but was still rare in the western countryside. For nine decades, the Souzain viaduct left its mark on the landscape of the outskirts of Brioche, offering travellers and residents alike a striking view of the green valleys typical of the Goëlo region. Its slender profile, its concrete arches and the apparent lightness of its structure contrasted with the granite bridges that still line the region, testifying to a desire to combine functionality with structural elegance. Sadly, the history of this monument came to an end on 23 June 1995, when the viaduct was demolished. Its demise deprived Brittany of an irreplaceable architectural milestone, one of the earliest examples of the reasoned use of reinforced concrete in France. Today, the memory of the Souzain viaduct lives on in the collective memory of the people of Brioche and in French engineering archives, reminding us that some technical masterpieces do not always survive the evolution of infrastructure.
Architecture
The Souzain viaduct was part of the trend in engineering architecture at the beginning of the 20th century, characterised by the gradual adoption of reinforced concrete as the main structural material. Harel de la Noë, strongly influenced by the work of Hennebique and the parallel experiments carried out by pioneers such as Paul Séjourné, designed a structure with multiple reinforced concrete arches, whose light silhouette and refined curves contrasted with the massive robustness of the granite masonry viaducts then dominant in Brittany. The reinforced concrete technique made it possible to obtain spans of greater generosity with a reduced thickness, giving the whole structure a structural elegance characteristic of the works of this school. The piers, which were probably slender and slender, supported semi-circular or basket-handle arches, a common feature of viaducts from the Hennebique period. The railings and parapets, also cast in concrete, reflect a desire for aesthetic coherence between the various elements of the structure. Situated in a steep valley between Saint-Brieuc and Plérin, the viaduct had to overcome a significant difference in level, requiring a significant deck height. Although its exact dimensions are no longer fully documented, the structure belonged to the category of medium-sized viaducts typical of Breton road and rail developments at the turn of the century. Its construction was a perfect illustration of the architectural and technical transition between 1900 and 1920, when reinforced concrete became the benchmark material for modern civil engineering in France.
Related Figures
Louis Harel de la Noë — ingénieur en chef des Ponts et Chaussées des Côtes-du-Nord (1900), concepteur du viaducFrançois Hennebique — pionnier du béton armé, dont les travaux ont directement inspiré Harel de la NoëPaul Séjourné — ingénieur contemporain, spécialiste des viaducs en maçonnerie et béton, référence de la même génération
Map
Coordinates not available for this monument.
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) located?
Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) is located in Saint-Brieuc, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) built?
Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) open to visitors?
Viaduc de Souzain (également sur commune de Plérin) is currently closed to visitors.