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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The viaduct of Barajol, also known as "Lune Sèche viaduct", is a major railway structure in northern Cantal built between 1902 and 1906 for the Bort-les-Orgues–Neussargues line. With a length of 317 meters and a height of 57 meters, it crosses the Petite Rhue valley in the Cézallier massif, in the heart of the Auvergne Volcano Park. Built in gneiss and basalt, it rests on twelve arches and integrates into a wild landscape marked by the breeding of cattle Salers.

The line, decided in 1892 to clear the region and bring the Languedoc wines to Paris, was quickly limited by winter weather conditions. The viaduct lost its rail use in 1990 (travellers) and 1991 (goods), before being saved by the Gentiane Express tourist train, which made it a flagship attraction. It also served as a stage for films and television shows.

Enlisted in the Historical Monuments in 1984 and labeled "Twentieth Century Heritage", the viaduct symbolizes the bold engineering of the time, while illustrating the challenges of mountain infrastructure. Today, public property, there is still a testimony of the industrial and landscape heritage of the Auvergne, between railway heritage and tourist development.

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