Written on : 07 November 2019 By : Melchior Burin des Roziers
Almost 3 kilometres long, it is known as the umbilical cord of Ré. Its controversial construction more than thirty years ago has disrupted local life, considerably facilitated the supply of resources and boosted the economic activity of the island's municipalities. Tourism has never done so well in Ré! So what is this wonderful architectural achievement of France?
On 19th May, 1988, the Île de Ré bridge was officially opened to traffic. It is a result of the work of 5 architects specifically chosen to produce this work. Finally, territorial continuity is ensured between La Rochelle and Rivedoux-Plage, at a cost of 385 million francs (the equivalent of 60 million euros), an exoense of the Charente-Maritime County Council.
But the project did not meet with unanimous approval. As soon as the work began, the bridge was the subject of a long legal (and media) battle between the "anti-bridges" and the "pro-bridges". There are those who, at all costs, have sought to "preserve" the island and those (in greater numbers) who have measured the enormous advantages that the construction of a link with the continent could offer: to go to work, to transport schoolchildren to La Rochelle, to guarantee urgent medical evacuations.
Finally, since the slowness of the French justice system is what it is, the bridge was already completed when the administrative judge ruled on the requests to stop the work. Protected by its status as a public structure, the bridge has not been demolished.
The second longest bridge in France!
Behind the Saint-Nazaire bridge (3,356 metres), the Île de Ré bridge is indeed the second longest in France, following a curve of 2,926.5 metres long. It also rises to 46 metres above sea level.
It only took 23 months to build. Thanks to the so-called "corbelled by prefabricated voussoirs" (pre-manufactured segments) technique, the bridge could grow by 20 metres a day! The use of box beams allows the passage of water and electricity throughout the island.
Daily traffic can exceed 16,000 vehicles and the duration of the crossing gives passengers time to admire the view of the sea!
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