Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The canal bridge on the Sauldre, located on horseback on Châtillon-sur-Cher and Selles-sur-Cher (Loir-et-Cher), was built between 1833 and 1839 under the direction of the engineer Camille Bailloud. The last canal bridge erected for the Berry Canal, it allowed this waterway to cross the Sauldre. Two projects were proposed in 1833: a work in cast iron or masonry. The choice was made of a local stone structure, with five arches in the middle of a seven-metre opening, considered more durable.

The construction used regional quality stones and mortars renowned for their sealing, making this work the most efficient of the canal according to engineer Eugene Flachat in 1842. The Sauldre route was slightly modified to accommodate the bridge, as attested by the Napoleonic cadastre. 64.40 meters long and 6.20 meters wide (including 3 meters for the water track), it includes 1.60 meters of hauling paths, still visible today.

Inaugurated to facilitate the transportation of minerals, coal and construction materials, the canal bridge reached its peak during the First World War. However, the competition of rail between the two wars led to a gradual decline, until the final closure of the Berry Canal in 1956. Unlike other similar structures, this bridge has never been renovated, thus preserving its original state. It was listed as historical monuments in 2009 for its historical and technical interest.

The Berry Canal, of which this canal bridge is a key element, played a major economic role in the 19th century by linking the valleys of Cher, Auron and Aubois. It promoted the establishment of local factories (calm, cement, tiles) by facilitating the flow of raw materials. Today, the site, owned by the municipalities, offers an intact testimony of the river construction techniques of the industrial era.

External links