Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Arche du Pin, located in Joué-lès-Tours en Indre-et-Loire, is a medieval bridge built around the 13th century on an old arm of the Cher, the Petit-Cher. It probably replaces an older, even Gallo-Roman work, linked to an ancient road linking Tours to the south of the Touraine. This back-d'âne bridge, originally composed of three arches in the middle of the hangar, served as a passage on a road frequented in the Middle Ages, including perhaps Jeanne d'Arc in 1429 on his journey between Chinon and Tours.

The remains, now very degraded, show cut stone trimmings and a pink mortar evoking Roman cement. The central arch disappeared, and the two remaining arches were still visible at the beginning of the twentieth century before gradually collapsing. Reported in poor condition in 1962 by its owner, the bridge was listed as a historical monument on May 5, 1964, thanks to the intervention of the Archaeological Society of Touraine.

The site marks the communal boundary between Joué-lès-Tours and Tours, stressing its historical importance as the crossing point of the Cher. The materials (large device stone, tile mortar) and the construction technique (bells in the middle) reflect medieval know-how. Although partially destroyed, the monument bears witness to the continuity of the lines of communication between Antiquity and the Middle Ages in Touraine.

External links