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Origin and history

The viaduct of Chapeauroux, also known as the New World viaduct, is a stone railway bridge built to span the Chapeauroux River in the commune of Saint-Bonnet-de-Montauroux, in Lozère. Completed in 1870, it is part of the Cevennes line, a railway section rich in works of art. This viaduct, 433 meters long and composed of 28 arches of 12 meters, is curved with a radius of 260 meters, marrying the shape of the valley.

Work began around 1857 under the Compagnie du Grand Central, which went bankrupt, before being taken over in 1862 by the Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée (PLM). The engineers Dombre, Ruelle and Joubert designed the viaduct to cross a narrow area at the confluence of the Allier and the Chapeauroux, while protecting it from flooding. The Marigues and Ramon companies completed the work in early 1870, and the line was inaugurated on 16 May 1870. The site reveals the remains of the Gallic village of Condate, a station on Via Agrippa in Gevaudan.

The viaduct has been listed as a historical monument since December 28, 1984. Its alternative name, viaduct of the New World, comes from the camp of workers installed in a place then uninhabited. The construction of this large building in a landlocked area is a major sign of the local population. A carnet-shaped vault, visible in the Saint-Haon cemetery, bears witness to the impact of the project.

The viaduct leads south to Chapeauroux station, which serves as a crossing station and station for the Allier gorge tourist train. With its 20 metres of average height, it remains a remarkable example of 19th century railway engineering.

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