Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The old bridge of the Ouillères, also called the bridge of the Valley, is an arch bridge located at the former south-east entrance of Mervent, in Vendée ( Pays de la Loire). Built in the 15th century at the site of a ford, it consists of five uneven arches in rubble and constituted the only access road east to the village before the construction of a new bridge. Ranked a historic monument since October 18, 1910, it bears witness to local medieval architecture.

Since 1956, the bridge has been immersed under the waters of the Mother River due to the creation of the Mervent Dam. It only emerges when the water hold is drained. In 1956 and 1976, travel projects to preserve it were proposed but refused by the municipality. His parapet has now disappeared, and a local legend evokes a devil's print on a stone downstream.

The bridge illustrates the challenges of preserving historic monuments in the face of modern developments. Its early ranking (1910) underscores its heritage importance, while its periodic immersion makes it a mysterious and fragile site. The debates on its displacement reflect tensions between heritage preservation and territorial development.

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