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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bourget Bridge, located in Antibes on the Brague, is misnamed "Roman bridge" because its construction actually dates from the seventeenth century. Its history is marked by recurrent technical challenges related to river floods and the instability of foundations. Provence, then a state country managing its roads autonomously, financed its reconstruction through local communities.

In 1645, the assembly of the communities of Provence decided to rebuild the bridge 75 canes upstream of the old, carried away by a flood. Admitted for £4,100 in 1646, he collapsed as early as 1647 during his decentation, for lack of sufficient foundations. The masons, considered responsible, saw their work criticized by the king's controller in 1648. A new two arched design was then adopted, but the bridge was again destroyed by a flood in 1654.

In 1658 the engineer Pierre de Bonnefons, present in Antibes between 1633 and 1660, proposed to move the 400-man bridge to the upstream, Pas de Bourgie, near the Moulin du Roy. Adjudged in 1665, this third bridge, built by Pierre Roubert and André Court from 1666, still resists today despite its marked donkey back. It was listed as a historical monument in 1935, testifying to the empirical know-how of the time.

A fourth bridge, built in 1719 closer to the mouth, collapsed in 1790, confirming the vulnerability of the buildings to the whims of the Brague. The Pont du Bourget, although not practical for vehicles, remains an example of the technical and administrative adaptations in Provence under the Ancien Régime.

With a length of 25 metres and a main arch of 15 metres, this masonry bridge reflects the geographical constraints and limited resources of local communities. Its history highlights the role of provincial assemblies and experts such as Bonnefons in infrastructure management.

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