Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Noblia Bridge, located in Bidarray on the Nive River, dates back to the 14th century. It is associated with a priory of the 12th century, dependent on the abbey of Roncevaux, on a pilgrimage path. Its central arch, destroyed by a flood, was rebuilt in the seventeenth century, and restorations took place in 1822. The structure, in a light donkeyback, initially consisted of five arches, one of which disappeared when the Bayonne-Saint-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port railway was constructed around 1895.

The bridge, classified as Historic Monument in 2010, features three arches on the Nive, supported by two beaked batteries. A fourth arch remains south side, while the fifth, north side, was destroyed for the railway. A communal property, it illustrates medieval architecture adapted to river constraints and the needs of pilgrims.

The successive modifications (17th, 19th centuries) reflect technical adaptations and natural or human hazards. Its registration in 2010 highlights its heritage value, linked to religious history and regional exchanges. The location, near Bidarray (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), makes it a witness to the local dynamics between France and Spain.

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