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Origin and history

The Morlaix viaduct is a major railway structure located in the heart of the Breton city, designed to cross the Morlaix river and serve the local railway station via the Paris-Montparnasse–Brest line. Its construction, which began in 1861 despite local controversy over its urban impact, was completed in 1865 after only 23 months of construction. The engineer Planchat and the contractor Fenoux use innovative techniques for the period, combining granite, stone and stone in a monumental structure of 292 meters long and 62 meters high.

The viaduct initially aroused controversy, especially in 1860, when the city council feared its effects on the city's aeration, narrow and framed by valleys. The Western Railway Company ignores these objections, imposing a central route for technical and economic reasons. As early as 1863, a first test used a 19 horsepower locomotive before it was officially commissioned in 1865. In 1891, a metric line to Carhaix was added via a third rail, reinforcing its strategic role.

During World War II, the viaduct became an allied target. On 29 January 1943, eight American fighter-bombers Boston from the Royal Air Force dropped 43 bombs on Morlaix, aimed at interrupting the Paris-Brest line. A single bomb slightly damages the structure, creating a 4 metre breach between two pillars. Repaired in a few hours by German engineers, traffic quickly resumes, illustrating its resilience. It should be noted that the viaduct of La Méaugon, just as strategic but isolated, escapes bombing.

The viaduct was listed as a historic monument in 1975, with its two-level architecture: nine lower arches of 13.47 metres and fourteen upper arches of 15.50 metres. Its massive batteries, up to 19.36 meters thick, contrast with the apparent lightness of the arcades. Victor Fenoux highlights this aesthetic choice, where robustness reassures as much as it impresses. Built for 2.5 million francs, it mobilizes 11,000 m3 of granite and 52,000 m3 of honeycomb, with a final cost close to the initial forecast.

Beyond its railway function, the viaduct incorporates a pedestrian crossing at the lower level, connecting the two banks of the valley. This practical detail reflects its anchor in morlaisian daily life, while symbolizing the industrial modernity of the 19th century. Today, it remains an emblem of the city, mixing technical heritage and memory of conflicts, while continuing to assume its original role on the Paris-Brest line.

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