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Origin and history

The Lesdiguières Bridge, also known as the Claix Bridge, is a masonry structure crossing the Drac, built on the initiative of François de Bonne de Lesdiguières, lieutenant general of the Dauphiné who died in 1626. Originally located entirely in the commune of Claix, it has since 1873 connected it to Pont-de-Claix, created that year on the right bank of the river. Ranked among the seven wonders of the Dauphiné, it is distinguished by a unique arch of nearly 46 meters open, rising 16 meters above the Drac, a technical feat for the time. Its classification as a historical monument by decree of 27 May 1898 makes it one of the first protected sites of Isère.

The construction of the bridge, ordered by the Duke of Lesdiguières, was carried out between 1608 and 1610 by engineer Louis Brisset, before being delivered to traffic in 1611. When it was completed, it was compared to the Rialto Bridge in Venice (1591), a text of the time highlighting its superiority: "It (the Rialto Bridge) does not mean anything at the price of this." The site, once strategic for the crossing of the Drac, experienced notable episodes, such as the legendary attack of the smuggler Mandrin in 1754, who would have faced the gabelles or s The old guard is still called the Mandrin Hall.

In the 19th century, the difficulties of access around the bridge motivated the construction of a new downstream structure in 1873, relegating the old bridge to pedestrian and cycling use. Ranked a historic monument in 1898, it benefited from major restorations in the 21st century, with a nocturnal development by lighting since 2010, financed by the municipalities of Claix and Pont-de-Claix, as well as the department of Isère. The bridge, formerly on National Highway 75 (now RD 1075), now embodies a major architectural and historical heritage, celebrated in the arts by painters such as Jongkind (1883) or writers such as Auguste Vitu.

From a technical point of view, the bridge has a carriageway on the back of the donkey with a single arch of 45.65 meters in range, culminating at 15.70 meters above the banks. He originally carried two Latin inscriptions, now missing: "Unus Distancia Jungo" ("Unique par ma longue, je reunite") and "Romana Moles Pudore Suffondo" ("I make the Roman constructions blush with shame"). These details highlight its aesthetic and functional ambition, in a context where the destructive floods of the Drac made the crossings perilous.

The Lesdiguières bridge is part of a broader history of Dauphinian infrastructure, marked by unsuccessful medieval attempts (such as the collapse of a bridge in 1219) and subsequent developments to domesticate the torrent. His legacy continued through artistic representations and literary narratives, while his early protection (1898) demonstrated his exceptional heritage value. Today, it remains a symbol of the ingenuity of the 17th century builders and a place of memory for the communes it connects.

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