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Origin and history

The Artuby Bridge at Comps-sur-Artuby, built during the second half of the 17th century, is an art work located in the hamlet of La Souche, on the course of the Artuby River. This bridge, inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 23 January 1990, crosses the river and supports the departmental road CD 221. It illustrates the road construction techniques of the modern era in Provence, in a context where communication routes played a key role in connecting the scattered hamlets and steep valleys of the upper Var.

The municipality of Comps-sur-Artuby, perched at 900 meters above sea level, was a strategic crossing between the Verdon and Jabron valleys. In the 17th century, the region was marked by a rural economy dominated by vines, as evidenced by the tithe taken in wine by local priests. The bridge is part of this landscape of scattered hamlets (such as La Souche, Saint-Bayon or Chardan), some of which were later integrated into the Canjuers military camp, the largest in Europe. Its architecture also reflects the influence of the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, then lords of Comps, who shaped part of the local heritage.

Ranked as a departmental property, the Artuby Bridge embodies a technical and historical heritage. He recalls the challenges posed by the rugged terrain of the region, where rivers like Artuby or Jabron required sustainable works to facilitate trade. Its inscription in the title of the Historical Monuments underlines its importance in the lock-in heritage (linked to the old bridges and roads) of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, as well as its role in the memory of the medieval and modern routes linking the Alps to the Mediterranean.

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