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Origin and history

The aqueduct of the Brévenna, built during the reign of the Roman emperor Claude, is the third of the four ancient aqueducts serving Lugdunum (Lyon). 70 km long, it captured water in the basin of the Brévenne River, 600 m above sea level near Aveize, to feed the Fourvière district. An archeomagnetic dating (2016) placed its construction between 23 BC and 88 BC, confirming its alto-imperiale origin.

The track, which was buried at 95%, had remarkable aerial sections: 650 m of arcades at Lentilly, 1,900 m in Lyon, and an inverted siphon crossing the Planches valley at Écully. This system, including a club crawler and a bridge-siphon, allowed to maintain the flow despite a natural slope that was too steep (5°). "Hydraulic stairs," as at Chevinay, broke the slope through successive falls in break wells.

To protect this heritage, the remains of the Massous Siphon (battery and reservoir) in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune have been classified or registered since 1945. Although located on a private property, they remain visible from Rue des Aqueducs. The techniques used (siphons, falls) illustrate Roman engineering, with an estimated flow rate of between 10,000 and 28,000 m3/day depending on the sources.

Modern studies, such as those of Jean Burdy or Camille Germain de Montauzan, highlight his key role in the water supply of ancient Lyon. Recent excavations (2016) have refined the chronology, while the remains still bear witness to Roman hydraulic control in the region.

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