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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Mane's Romanesque Bridge, also known as the Three Arches Bridge or the Laye Bridge, is a medieval building located in the commune of Mane, in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Built in the 12th century, it is distinguished by its three arches in the middle of the circle, of which only the largest is of origin. This beaked bridge, typical of Romanesque architecture, could be contemporary of the priory Notre-Dame de Salagon, another emblematic local monument.

In 1626, the two arches east side and the beaks were rebuilt by Anthoine Christol, a mason in Mane, to replace a embankment destroyed by a flood of the Laye. The notarial archives of the time specify the technical details of this intervention, suggesting that the great medieval arch may have been partially taken over. These changes were designed to improve the bridge's resilience to recurrent flooding of the watercourse.

Ranked a historic monument on January 28, 1970, the bridge illustrates the evolution of construction techniques between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its dimensions — 40 metres long, 3.20 metres wide, and arches of varying heights (6.90 m, 3.40 m and 1.60 m) — bear witness to its strategic importance for crossing the Laye. Today owned by the commune, there remains a significant vestige of Provencal heritage.

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