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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Old Bridge of Domeyrat is a medieval stone work, probably dating from the late 15th or early 16th century. It crossed the Sénouire below the castle of Domeyrat, in the Haute-Loire, and consists of five arches in the middle of the hangar, one of which is a smaller intended for a beal feeding a seigneurial mill. Its apron, light donkey back, is 3 meters wide, and its main arches range from 4.80 to 6.60 meters. The batteries, protected by triangular fore-and after-beeks, demonstrate a construction adapted to the frequent flooding of the river.

The history of the bridge is marked by several repairs following the damage caused by floods, including that of 1767, which partially destroyed it. The current parapets date from this reconstruction. Two other major restorations took place in 1850, as evidenced by a plaque on the downstream parapet, and in 1979. Ranked a historic monument on November 23, 1982, the bridge is now owned by the municipality of Domeyrat. Its architecture, typical of medieval bridges, reflects both a utilitarian function — to serve the castle and the priory-secure — and a resistance to the whims of the Senouire.

Historical sources, such as the works of Marcel Prade or Louis Pralong, underline the importance of this bridge in the local landscape, linked to the seigneurial history of Domeyrat. Although its precise dating remains uncertain due to the repetition of architectural forms over centuries, its association with the medieval castle and the priory-curtain suggests a central role in the exchanges and religious life of the seigneury. The successive restorations also illustrate the commitment of local communities to preserve this heritage, despite natural hazards.

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