Millau Viaduct

We passed over the Millau Viaduct on our way down the A75 Motorway from Clermont-Ferrand to Carcassonne – not the most direct route possible but definitely worth it.
The Millau Viaduct stretches over a valley, 270m about the Tarn River which lies between the Causee Rouge and the Causee du Larzac mountains. The aesthetic design of the bridge was a high priority when choosing the design, engineer Michel Virlogeux devised the concept and English architect Lord Norman Foster designed it.
The Viaduct aimed to reduce the time it took to drive down one mountain and up the other and provide a vital conduit for the traffic travelling north/south through central France, i.e. Paris to the Mediterranean. The bridge spans a total distance of 2,460m and holds the world record as the tallest bridge, with its highest pylon towering 343m above the valley. There are 11 pairs of cable stays attached to steel pylons 90 m tall. The bridge itself has a slightly curved deck is made from thermo-mechanical steel and weights 5 times that of the Eiffel Tower (36,000 tons).
As you can see the bridge is stunning and was a perfect restbreak for our 4-5 hour drive south.




It was a little windy...