Did you know ? The history of the Pont Saint-Michel in Toulouse
Like its counterparts the Saint-Pierre and Pont-Neuf bridges, thehistory of the saint michel bridge in toulouse is marked by many twists and turns. Its name refers to the “patron saint” of bakers, pastry cooks, fencers and coopers, also known as the protector of parachute regiments. The Independent Opinion part in the footsteps of one of the main bridges of the Pink City.
To whom Toulouse owes its Pont-Saint-Michel?
It was to the engineer Eugène Freyssinet that Toulouse owes its current Pont Saint-Michel. The work was created in 1962 in a context of increased traffic density in the city. The Pont Saint-Michel is located upstream from the Pont-Neuf, north of the Ile du Ramier and acts as a bridge between the Saint-Michel district and that of Saint-Cyprien as well as Fer-à-Cheval. Its configuration differs from that of its counterparts, the Saint-Pierre and Pont-Neuf bridges. For good reason, it crosses the Garonne in three stages.
Two small works make it possible to cross the small arm of the river, between the Paul-Feuga alleys and the island of Ramier. The main part of the bridge, which goes to the Place du Fer-à-Cheval, 326 m long, makes it possible to cross the large arm of the river.
© Public domain
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The successor to two other eponymous Toulouse bridges
The Saint-Michel bridge, as we know it today, is in truth only the successor of two other toulouse bridges eponymous, destroyed in 1890 and 1961 respectively. The first bridge, integrated under the leadership of the Escarraguel brothers, was delivered to the city of Toulouse in 1844. Barely 31 years later, during the flood of the Garonne in 1875, the first bridge was destroyed at the same time as the old Pont Saint-Pierre.
Ruins of the bridge after the 1875 flood. © Municipal Archives of Toulouse / Public domain
It was not until 1884 that the construction of a New Pont Saint-Michel be decided.
Reconstruction of the bridge. © Library of Toulouse / Public domain
The new structure was built in 1890. However, in the 1930s, a problem arose: the bridge was too narrow. While the Sports Park on the island of Ramier is in full development, and traffic continues to grow, especially with the tram lines, the development no longer corresponds to the challenges of the city. Thus, its expansion will be decided by the municipal council. In this context, the Ministry of Public Works met in the competition for the reconstruction of the bridge after the Second World War. It was then that Eugène Freyssinet came into play, the French engineer’s project being accepted. After a long period of work from 1955 to 1961, the last Saint-Michel bridge was covered on February 12, 1961.
>> READ ALSO: In Toulouse, the Pont-Neuf is the oldest above the Garonne
178 years later… the Pont Saint-Michel in Toulouse is still there
178 years later, the Saint-Michel bridge in Toulouse happy days still flow above the Toulouse river. Imposing, its deck is 326 meters long and 26 meters wide. With its V-shaped crutches, it sports a different style from its counterparts. Like the gills in the lion’s mouth of the neighboring Pont-Neuf, its very perforated crutches lead to the flow of water, especially during periods of high flooding. Since 2013, the road bridge has accommodated a line of the Toulouse tramway. It is the only one in town that allows the passage of the device.
The current bridge © Shutterstock.com / Henrik Sadura