Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The old Menat Bridge, built in the 13th century, is a medieval work on the back of a donkey crossing the Sioule. It is located at the limit of the municipalities of Menat and Saint-Rémy-de-Blot, in Puy-de-Dôme. This bridge, the only crossing point on the river for centuries, played a strategic role on the ancient Roman route from Clermont-Ferrand to Néris-les-Bains. He was the subject of conflicts between local lords and clergy.

In the 17th century, a flood carried a span of the bridge, which was only rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century. The bridge, consisting of four arches with varying ranges (up to 12.58 m), has a narrow roadway of 3 m. Its batteries once supported pedestrian shelters, typical of medieval bridges. Ranked a historic monument in 1918, it illustrates medieval architecture and the importance of road infrastructure in the Middle Ages.

The bridge is now communal property and remains a testimony of medieval engineering. Its vaulted structure and slightly broken arches reflect the construction techniques of the era. Although its exact location is shared between two municipalities, its historical role as a major crossing point on the Sioule is well documented.

External links