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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The bridge of the Moulin, also known as the former bridge of Ondres, is a stone work built between 1685 and 1688 on the Verdon, at Thorame-Haute (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). Sponsored by the Consuls of Colmars and Thorame-Haute to replace an old wooden bridge, it was designed by the provincial architect Jean Jaubert and made by the master mason Eustache Ventre. Its two uneven arches (20 m and 5 m in diameter) and its donkey-back structure, with triangular beaks protecting the central pile, make it a remarkable example of 17th century engineering. It was initially used to connect the hamlet of Ondres and to facilitate the transhumance of herds to the estiva.

Ranked a historic monument in 1977, the bridge was disused in 1881 after the construction of an upstream wooden bridge linked to the new departmental road. Its name comes from an adjacent mill, transformed into a sawmill and then a furniture factory in the 19th century (abandoned in the 1930s). Locally nicknamed "Roman bridge" because of its imposing arch, it is also known as the bridge of Serpeigier (the name of the neighboring mountain) or bridge of the Fabrique. His condition deteriorated sharply in the twenty-first century, with partial collapses and restricted access for security reasons.

In 2018, the bridge was selected as an iconic site for the Heritage Lotto, worn by Stéphane Bern, to finance its restoration. Despite his ranking, his interview was neglected for decades, prompting the engagement of local associations to safeguard him. Today, it only serves a steep path leading to the Serpeigier mountain, a silent witness of past activities (moulins, fern, transhumance) and contemporary challenges of preserving rural heritage.

Its bold architecture for the time, with irregular harpsichords and a parapet partially destroyed, inspired many illustrations and postcards. Marks of overelevation suggest subsequent changes, while its central pile, anchored in a rocky mass, still resists the floods of the Verdon. The bridge thus illustrates the adaptation of infrastructure to the economic and social needs of Alpine communities, between agriculture, crafts and mobility.

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