Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The bridge of Tréboul, located in the Cantal between Sainte-Marie and Lieutadès, crossed the Truyère before being drowned by the Sarrans Dam (1930–34). Built in the 14th–15th centuries, it replaced a ford on the Roman route between Dienna and Roche-Canilhac. Its stone architecture, with two arches in the middle and a central spur, bears witness to medieval techniques. A toll was collected there until 1724, the date of its abolition by the Council of State.

Overwhelmed since 1934, the bridge is only visible when the lake drains, as in 1979 and 2014. It bears the name of the neighbouring village, also swallowed up. Replaced in 1935 by a 159 m suspended bridge, it has remained listed as historic monuments since 1927. Its central abutment, profiled upstream, and lateral gorges are notable architectural details.

The site illustrates the impact of 20th-century hydroelectric dams on heritage, while maintaining a trace of medieval infrastructure. Owned by the department of Cantal, it also symbolizes the adaptation of the channels of communication throughout the centuries, from antiquity to the industrial era.

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