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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Old Pont de Laval, built in the 13th century, is the oldest bridge in the city and the only one until the 19th century. It replaces a submerged Roman ford after the construction of a dam on the Mayenne, making its construction necessary to maintain the exchanges between Le Mans and Corseul. Originally named Pont Saint-Julien or Pont de Mayenne, he played a strategic role in gaining access to Brittany and housed wood-paned houses, a fortified gate and a drawbridge.

The bridge underwent several restorations, notably in 1528 and early 18th century. In 1779 the fortified gate and most of the medieval houses were destroyed to widen the way. A fourth arch, now integrated into the west wharf, bears witness to the 19th-century developments. Partly dynamite in 1944 during the Liberation, it was later restored. Its schist-stone architecture, with three arches in broken arches worn by beaked batteries, makes it a remarkable example of medieval engineering.

Ranked a historic monument in 1926, Pont Vieux lost its status as the only passage on the Mayenne with the construction of Pont Neuf (Pont Aristide-Briand) in the early 19th century. The latter has helped to reduce congestion in the old city and to structure a new modern city centre. Despite the changes (damage of houses, integration into the docks), the bridge retains its historic character and remains a symbol of the Laval heritage.

The source Monumentum states that the large work uses square shale stones, while the local archives (such as the Bulletin of the Historical Commission of Mayenne, 1913) mention its importance in regional exchanges as early as the 17th century. Today owned by the municipality, it illustrates urban evolution and the technical challenges associated with river control in the Middle Ages.

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