Approval of the route 1854 (≈ 1854)
Ministerial decree for the railway line.
1855–1856
Construction of the bridge
Construction of the bridge 1855–1856 (≈ 1856)
Directed by Thomas Brassey and Newman.
1860
Annexation of the Savoy
Annexation of the Savoy 1860 (≈ 1860)
Transfer under French administration after the treaty.
1871
Approved new route
Approved new route 1871 (≈ 1871)
Deviated line on right bank via Saint-Pierre-d的Albigny.
18 décembre 1876
Railway decommissioning
Railway decommissioning 18 décembre 1876 (≈ 1876)
Commissioning of the new bridge near Chamousset.
19 août 1994
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 19 août 1994 (≈ 1994)
Registration after mobilization against its demolition.
2017
Demolition threat
Demolition threat 2017 (≈ 2017)
Risks of collapse and flooding mentioned.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Bridge on the river Isère, linking the national road number 6 to the departmental road number 33 (Box ZI): inscription by order of 19 August 1994
Key figures
Thomas Brassey - British entrepreneur
Responsible for the construction of the bridge (1855–56).
Newman - Engineer
Bridge designer with Brassey.
Pietro Paleocapa - Piedmontese Minister of Public Works
The route was approved in 1854.
Origin and history
The Victor-Emmanuel Bridge, also known as the English Bridge, is a metal structure built between 1855 and 1856 at Cruet (Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) for the Victor-Emmanuel railway line, connecting Aix-les-Bains to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Designed by the British company Thomas Brassey and engineer Newman, he crossed the Isère in a bias (45°) to match the curves of the railway line. This bridge, 160 meters long, consisted of four spans of 40 meters, stabilized by crosses of St.Andre and beams of puddled iron.
Originally, this railway bridge was annexed to France in 1860 with the Savoy, then transferred to the PLM company in 1867. By 1868, flooding problems on the left bank led to the consideration of a new route, approved in 1871 and commissioned in 1876. Disused, the bridge escaped several demolition projects (1879, 1887, 1991) before being transferred to the Conseil général de la Savoie in 1887 for road and pedestrian use, and then classified as a historic monument in 1994. Today, its conservation is threatened by its state of degradation and the risks of flooding.
Architecturally, the bridge is distinguished by its metal deck in the direction of the batteries, aligned with the current of the Isère. This provision, rare for the time, made it a unique testimony of 19th century railway engineering. The materials used — puddled iron and cast iron — and its mesh structure also make it the oldest metal bridge in France still in place. Despite its designation as historic monuments, its demolition was regularly mentioned, especially in 2017, due to the dangers it would pose in the event of a collapse.
The bridge derives its nickname from its British origins, linked to the company of Thomas Brassey, but also from its role in the Victor-Emmanuel line, named after the king of Piedmont-Sardaigne (1820–78). After 1876, he lost his railway function to a new bridge near Chamousset, marking the end of his original use. Today, although closed to traffic since 1994, it remains a symbol of Savoyard industrial heritage and a controversial preservation issue.
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