Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Pont Vieux de Cluses is an iconic art work located in the town of Cluses, Haute-Savoie, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built in the 3rd quarter of the 17th century (1674) and restored in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century (1833), it spans the Arve at the entrance of the Geographical Cluse. This bridge was for centuries the only crossing point of the river in this area, playing a strategic role for local exchanges and movements, before the construction of the Nine Bridge in 1850.

The history of the Old Bridge dates back to Roman times, with a first structure replaced in the Middle Ages. The current bridge, built in 1674, bears an engraved inscription mentioning the name of its architect, although it is not mentioned in the available sources. Its main range, 25.50 metres wide, illustrates the construction techniques of the time. The monument was included in the inventory of historical monuments by order of 3 June 1975, thus recognizing its heritage value.

Owned by the municipality of Cluses, Pont Vieux symbolizes the evolution of infrastructure in this Alpine region, marked by geographical challenges and increasing mobility needs. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments makes it an architectural testimony of the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, reflecting both Roman and medieval heritages, and modern adaptations. The available GPS coordinates place the bridge near the 1st Street on November 11, in the heart of the city.

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