Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The viaduct of Toupin was built between 1902 and 1904 by the engineer Louis Harel de la Noë for the railways of the Côtes-du-Nord, as part of the Saint-Brieuc–Moncontour line. With a length of 179 meters and a height of 35 meters, it combines traditional masonry, metal and reinforced concrete, an innovation for the era. Its batteries, enhanced by 7 metre reinforced concrete piles, illustrate the pioneering techniques of its designer. Originally dedicated to rail traffic, it was converted into a road bridge after the closure of the line, now providing a link between the Europe district and the city centre of Saint-Brieuc.

In 1967, the department added a corset of reinforced concrete to strengthen the structure, but this device, cracked over time, altered its aesthetic and inspired criticism, as evidenced by the similar destruction of the Suzain viaduct in 1995. A major restoration was initiated in November 2013 for 18 months. The work covered the repair of arches, batteries, and apron, with replacement of damaged elements (masonry, metal) and application of a waterproofing coating. The carriageway has been redone, the guardrails have been restored in identical fashion, and the sidewalk has been expanded to improve pedestrian safety. Since then, traffic has been limited to 30 km/h, which is prohibited for heavy goods vehicles.

Recognized for its heritage value, the viaduct was the subject of an application for registration at the Historic Monuments in January 2013, leading to its official ranking on March 3, 2014. Today it is one of the latest testimonies of the railway network designed by Harel de la Noë in the Côtes-d'Armor, combining architectural elegance and technical innovations. Its regular maintenance aims to reconcile preservation of heritage and contemporary use, both for vehicles and for pedestrians.

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