Many years ago we were taken by French friends on a picnic outing along the Viaur valley and we stopped to see an amazing railway bridge: the Viaur Viaduct. This fantastic structure was designed by an Albi engineer, Paul Bodin, in a competition which included Gustave Eiffel. Opening up the area to commercial rail traffic between Albi and Rodez in the early 20th century the bridge is a unique construction in France.
The structure made from steel with millions of rivets forged on site had as a principle arcs held in equilibrium by the weight of the train itself - a revolutionary concept which at first even train drivers were afraid to cross.
The villagers of Tanus have formed an association to restore the forgotten treasure and it will be revealed in its splendour later this year.
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| Viaduc du Viaur |
