Famous Wonders

Millau Viaduct
Photo by: tibchris, Creative Commons

There many reasons to visit France, aside from its French bread, bagels and churros. France is the country where the City of Love, Paris, can be found. France is furthermore famous for its Eiffel tower. But do you know that France also serves as a home to the world’s tallest vehicular bridge? Yes, none other than the Millau Viaduct!

Millau Viaduct, an enormous cable-stayed bridge, is located at the South of France. It crosses the River Tarn’s valley, possessing a total length of over eight thousand feet. Its summit is 1,125 feet high, just a little bit taller than the Eiffel tower. It was opened in December, 2004.

This bridge road deck can accommodate sixteen traffic lanes, eight lanes for each direction. Millau Viaduct also has a toll plaza that can amazingly entertain each lane. Public toilets, car parks and viewing stations are situated on the side of the bridge near the toll plaza.

With seven concrete pylons for support, Millau Viaduct is made to endure earthquakes and other possible calamities.

The construction of Millau Viaduct solved so many problems. For one, Rhone Valley’s traffic congestion is alleviated, allowing the visitors from Portugal and Spain to reach the Mediterranean in very little time. The Clermont-Ferrand town and Massif Central also became accessible from the south of France with the use of Millau Viaduct.

Millau Viaduct does not only hold the record as the tallest vehicular bridge ever made, it also holds two world titles as well. Millau Viaduct owns the tallest pylons in the world, beating Germany, the previous record-holder. It also has the world’s highest bridge tower, which is also pylon two.

If you ever visit France, then you must take a little time to see Millau Viaduct. It is an overwhelming feeling to see one of the world’s titleholders.